Wildlife can be saved by our friend: Forensic Genetics

There are many threats that endanger the wildlife found all over the world; habitat loss, as well as inbreeding when a certain population becomes isolated due to spreading urbanization. Another threat that wildlife face is the billion-dollar international industry for illegal trafficking of wild life and their parts. However, wildlife has an ally on its side: forensic genetics. In this article Ph.D. candidate Ashwin Naidu explains how  the Conservation Genetics Lab at the University of Arizona is working to conserve and protect wild animals. The researches use genetic techniques to determine if a small population is in danger or is inbreed already. How the scientist determine this is by collecting blood samples, hair, cheek swabs, as well as bones of animals to amplify DNA to look for certain areas in the genome. This article is very intersecting in the way the scientist use their genetic techniques to help put an end to not only inbreeding but as well as illegal hunting and selling of these marvelous animals.