Page 24 - VERITAS Vol.2 Issue 2

EXPERT LECTURE ON

‘WILDLIFE DNA FORENSICS’

The fifth expert lecture for the academic year 2022-2023 was organ-

ised by the Department of Forensic Science, Kristu Jayanti College,
Autonomous, on 7th November 2022 on the topic “Wildlife DNA Fo-

rensics”. The session was conducted online over the Zoom platform.

Mr. Ulhas Gondhali, Lecturer (O.P. Jindal Global University, Delhi,

India), was the resource person. Sir is involved in teaching foren-

sics and wildlife conservation courses as well as conducting research.

The session began with a brief introduction to the speaker. Soon af-

ter, the session was taken over by the resource person. Sir explained
the different types of wildlife crime: hunting, trading (for example,

tiger skin), aiding and abetting wildlife crime, habitat destruction,

and consumption. He went on to say that the potential applications

of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) include hunting, trading, and con-

sumption. Sir elaborated that biological evidence in the form of skin,

fur, hair, bone, blood, and meat, as well as horns and tusks obtained

from the crime scene, is useful for DNA analysis. He discussed the
DNA analysis of species origin, geographical location, and individual

origin using mitochondrial DNA, lineage markers, and micro STRs

(Short Tandem Repeats). He spoke about the infrastructure gaps in

India. Finally, during the question-and-answer session, each question

was positively received, and appropriate answers were provided.

Veritas Volume: 2, Issue: 2
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