Improved DNA-based identification of cervidae species in forensic investigations

Abstract

The main reasons for wildlife forensic research are animal poaching, illegal trade, and falsifi ed game meat products. Small trace amounts, old and degraded materials present the most common samples in revealing criminal activities in this fi eld. This is the reason why it is crucial to use adequate and reliable methods and samples to identify animal species killed outside the hunting season or species protected by law. In this study, different endpoint PCR and real-time PCR protocols were compared in the identifi cation of three Cervidae species (Capreolus capreolus, Cervus elaphus, Dama dama) from old and damaged material found in an enclosed area where the animals were kept. From a total of 129 samples, end point PCR provided results for 119 samples, while real-time PCR was successful in all cases. Also, we created and tested a protocol for simultaneous analyses of different types of samples, which is of great importance as when the amplifi cation is carried out simultaneously it is more cost effi cient and speeds up the process.