Morphological species identification of wildlife forensic evidence based on digital images

Abstract

Species identifications of wildlife items from digital images are critical to many wildlife crime investigations. Digital images downloaded from social media or cell phones may be the only wildlife evidence available for examination. In other cases, examination of emailed photographs by morphological experts may provide probable cause for seizure of suspect items in time-sensitive situations such as customs inspections. This paper outlines protocols to document provisional identifications from emailed photos, and to assure the integrity of digital images submitted as evidence. These are based on the practices followed at the National Fish and Wildlife Laboratory (NFWFL) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement (OLE).