Course fee: €25

Wildlife crime is a global, transnational issue that affects biodiversity, conservation, animal welfare, public health, and communities around the world. Module 1: Introduction to Wildlife Crime provides a broad overview of the different forms of wildlife crime and the interconnected challenges involved in investigating and addressing it.

Through a series of focused sub-modules, participants will explore the scale and impact of wildlife crime, its links to organised crime, marine poaching, wildlife crime scene investigation, the management of wounded animals, and the relationship between wildlife crime and the spread of zoonotic diseases. The module also introduces the Wildlife Forensic Academy and the opportunities available for further training.

Module Content

Sub-module 1: Introduction to Wildlife Crime
An introduction to the fundamentals of wildlife crime, its global and transnational nature, and the ways in which wildlife crime impacts various sectors.

Sub-module 2: Organised Wildlife Crime
An introduction to the connection between wildlife crime and organised criminal networks, including how illegal wildlife activities can form part of broader transnational criminal operations. This sub-modules also touches on the types of poaching methods used.

Sub-module 3: Marine Poaching
An overview of marine wildlife crime and poaching, and the challenges associated with detecting and addressing crime in marine environments.

Sub-module 4: Wildlife Crime Scene Investigation
An introduction to the principles of wildlife crime scene investigation and briefly discusses the role of forensic science in documenting scenes, collecting evidence, and supporting wildlife crime investigations.

Sub-module 5: Wounded Animals & Veterinary Involvement
An introduction to the basic management of wounded wildlife and the role of veterinarians in wildlife crime cases, from animal welfare and treatment to supporting forensic investigations.

Sub-module 6: Wildlife Crime & Zoonotic Disease
An introduction to the relationship between wildlife crime and zoonotic disease, exploring how illegal wildlife trade, handling, and movement can contribute to disease emergence and spread.

Sub-module 7: The Wildlife Forensic Academy
A virtual welcome to the Wildlife Forensic Academy. Learn more about our facilities and opportunities for future in-person training.

Building on the foundations introduced in Module 1, Module 2: Wildlife Crime provides a more comprehensive understanding of illegal wildlife poaching, trafficking, and trade. The module explores the scale and complexity of wildlife crime, current global trends, the legal and regulatory frameworks surrounding wildlife protection, and the measures used to prevent, investigate, and combat these crimes.

Participants will examine why wildlife crime occurs, the different contexts and methods associated with poaching and trafficking, and the connections between wildlife crime and organised criminal networks. The module also considers the far-reaching consequences of illegal wildlife trade, including its impact on biodiversity, conservation, communities, economies, and global security.

A key focus of the module is the importance of collaboration between different stakeholders. Participants will explore how conservationists, law enforcement professionals, policymakers, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders can work together to develop more effective strategies for preventing and responding to wildlife crime.

Module Content

Sub-module 1: Introduction to Wildlife Poaching, Trafficking & Trade
An introduction to the terminology, scale, and different forms of wildlife poaching, trafficking, and illegal trade, including an overview of how wildlife moves through illegal supply chains.

Sub-module 2: Drivers of Illegal Wildlife Trade – Why Do People Engage in Wildlife Crime?
An exploration of the social, economic, cultural, and other factors that can contribute to participation in wildlife crime, from local-level poaching to international trafficking networks.

Sub-module 3: Poaching Contexts & Methods
An overview of the different contexts in which wildlife poaching occurs and the methods used to illegally capture, kill, or obtain wildlife. The sub-module considers how these methods vary depending on the species, environment, and intended use or market.

Sub-module 4: Wildlife Crime & Organised Crime
An exploration of the relationship between wildlife crime and organised criminal activity, including the role of criminal networks, trafficking routes, and illegal supply chains.

Sub-module 5: Strategies for Combating Wildlife Crime
An introduction to approaches for preventing and combating wildlife crime, including legislation, enforcement, conservation interventions, intelligence, international cooperation, and collaboration between key stakeholders.

Module 2 does not require completion of Module 1 as a prerequisite. However, we recommend completing Module 1: Introduction to Wildlife Crime first, as it provides a broad foundation and introduces several key concepts that are explored in greater depth in this module.

Building on an understanding of wildlife crime and illegal wildlife trade, Module 3: Foundations of Wildlife Forensics introduces learners to the fundamental principles of forensic science and how they can be applied to wildlife crime investigations.

The module explores how evidence can be identified, documented, collected, preserved, and interpreted throughout a wildlife crime investigation. Participants will be introduced to different types of forensic evidence, including trace evidence and fingerprints, as well as the principles of crime scene processing, evidence collection, and forensic photography.

The module also follows the journey of forensic evidence beyond the crime scene, introducing the criminal justice chain and considering how evidence may ultimately be presented in court. Throughout the module, emphasis is placed on ethical practice, quality control, accurate documentation, and the importance of maintaining the integrity of evidence.

This is a foundational-level module designed to give learners a practical understanding of the role of forensic science in wildlife crime investigations. It does not require previous forensic training or specialist knowledge.

Module Content

Sub-module 1: Introduction to Forensic Science
An introduction to the principles and purpose of forensic science, including how scientific methods can be used to investigate crime and support the criminal justice process.

Sub-module 2: Types of Evidence
An overview of the different types of evidence encountered during investigations and the importance of recognising, documenting, collecting, and preserving evidence appropriately.

Sub-module 3: Trace Evidence & Tracking
An introduction to trace evidence and tracking, exploring how small or seemingly insignificant pieces of evidence can help establish links between a crime scene, individuals, animals, objects, and locations.

Sub-module 4: Crime Scene Processing & Evidence Collection
An introduction to the systematic processing of wildlife crime scenes, including scene documentation, evidence recognition, collection, packaging, preservation, and maintaining the integrity of evidence.

Sub-module 5: Forensic Photography in Wildlife Crime Scene Processing
An introduction to the principles of forensic photography and how photographs can be used to accurately document crime scenes, evidence, injuries, animals, and other relevant findings.

Sub-module 6: Fingerprinting
An introduction to the use of fingerprints as forensic evidence, including basic principles of fingerprint identification, recovery, documentation, and their potential application in wildlife crime investigations.

Sub-module 7: The Criminal Justice Chain
An overview of the journey of a wildlife crime case from the initial investigation through evidence processing, investigation, prosecution, and the wider criminal justice system.

Sub-module 8: Presenting Evidence in Court
An introduction to the role of forensic evidence within legal proceedings, including how evidence and expert findings may be communicated and presented in court.

Sub-module 9: Ethics & Quality Control in Forensics
An introduction to ethical considerations and quality control in forensic work, including impartiality, accuracy, documentation, contamination prevention, evidence integrity, and professional responsibility.

This module provides the foundational knowledge required to understand how forensic science contributes to wildlife crime investigations, from the initial processing of a crime scene through to the presentation of evidence in court. It is not an advanced forensic science course and does not assume previous forensic training. Instead, it provides learners with a strong foundation that can be built upon through further study and practical training.