Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation: Multidisciplinary and Forensic Approaches

485 Pages·2021·27.421 MB·English

by  Susan C. Underkoffler, Hayley R. Adams

Susan C. Underkoffler
Hayley R. Adams Editors
Wildlife
Biodiversity
Conservation
Multidisciplinary and Forensic Approaches
Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation
Susan C. Underkoffler (cid:129) Hayley R. Adams
Editors
Wildlife Biodiversity
Conservation
Multidisciplinary and Forensic
Approaches
Editors
SusanC.Underkoffler HayleyR.Adams
WildlifeForensicSciences WildlifeForensicSciences
andConservation,CollegeofMedicine andConservation,CollegeofMedicine
UniversityofFlorida UniversityofFlorida
Gainesville,FL,USA Gainesville,FL,USA
ISBN978-3-030-64681-3 ISBN978-3-030-64682-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64682-0
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Preface
For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is
beginningtorealizethat,inordertosurvive,hemustprotectit.
―Jacques-YvesCousteau
Wearewritingthisintroductioninthemidstofaglobalpandemic.Overthe
past several months, humans have experienced history in the making. We
have each come to more intimately understand and appreciate the power of
nature,throughthereplication ofamicroscopicorganism,toredefineglobal
standards virtually overnight, bringing life as we knew it to a halt and
connecting us as a global species more than ever before. The virus causing
thispandemic,acoronavirus,originatedinfree-rangingwildlife,andjumped
species to humans as a result of close and unnatural contact, with a dense
interfacecreatedbyhumansandtheirculturalpreferencefortheconsumption
ofbushmeat.
There is perhaps no better time to implement strategies that will prevent
such catastrophic events from reoccurring. It is time to learn the lessons
hidden within the challenge, lest we doom ourselves to repeat such
catastrophesthroughfutureoutbreaksofzoonoticdisease,resultingincount-
less deaths, global crisis, economic downfall, and immeasurable emotional
andpsychologicaldamage.
Nature is serving a grand wake-up call. Conservationists are on the front
lines to answer the call by digging deeper into global ecological challenges,
andtoresolvethemwithsolutionsthatareinnovative,sustainable,andabove
all, culturally relevant. This is extremely important, as there is no one-size-
fits-allapproachtoconservationissues.
Thisbookrepresentstheevolutionofconservationtoanewparadigm,one
that combines highly technical skill sets with the most fundamental and
arguably the most critical aspect of conservation—the recognition of and
inclusion of humans as a species in the natural equation. Conservation is as
muchaboutthehumananimalasitisabouttheinfiniteplanetarylifeformswe
strivetoprotectandpreserve.Theapplicationofsophisticatedtechnologiesto
biodiversity conservation represents a new era, one in which we will see
somewhat divergent disciplines merging and producing beneficial results
thatarenotmutuallyexclusive,butratherall-encompassing.Forensicscience
isjustoneofthesesubjects,whichforquitealongtimewasonlyappliedto
humancrime.Now,wearerealizingitsutilityinfightingthedestructionofthe
v
vi Preface
planet and the loss of other species. Wildlife and environmental crime are
beingmetwithanarsenalofscientificadvancements,usheringinthenewfield
ofconservationforensics.Andweareonlyatthebeginning.
At the heart of conservation are human beings—our needs, preferences,
culturalbeliefsandpractices,struggles,desires,joys,andsorrows.Toooften
humanshavebeenplacedonthe“negative”sideoftheequation,byblaming
andshamingthemfordestroyingMotherNature.Buttheparadigmisshifting,
with a more conscious approach emerging, whereby in order to see positive
change, conservationists recognize that people at the interface with nature
mustbeincludedaspartofthesolution.Humansarebeginningtorealizethat
our existence and long-term survival is tied inextricably with the survival of
biodiversityasawhole.Indeed,weareseeingpeoplereevaluatetheirplaceon
Earth,appreciatingthelifeallaroundthem,spendingmoretimeinnature,and
embracing and valuing not only the large, charismatic species but even the
tiniestofcreaturesnormallyoverlooked.Wehopethiscontinues,forasHenry
Bestonwroteinhis1928memoir,TheOutermostHouse:“theworldto-dayis
sicktoitsthinbloodforlackofelementalthings,forfirebeforethehands,for
waterwellingfromtheearth,forair,forthedearearthitselfunderfoot.”Those
wordswerenevermoretrue,almostonehundredyearslater.
Wearestarvedforconnectiontonature,forinspirationfromthewild,for
theawethatcomesfromrealizingjusthowsmallweeachare.Butdespiteour
diminutive status on Earth, we as humans have important roles to play in
nature stewardship. As this pandemic has demonstrated, our actions have
consequences, not just for our own species—we need to accept that the
decisions we make and the actions we take have a ripple effect through an
entireecosystem.Theresourcesonthisplanetarefinite;wecannotcontinueto
exhaustthemwithoutramifications.Wemustbecognizantthatconservation
begins with us and that it is not a solitary endeavor. Conservation is about
listeningtotheneedsofthepeopleattheinterface,understandingthedrivers
behind conservation challenges, and including locals—both in the decision-
makingprocessaswellasintheimplementationofmitigationsandstrategies
that benefit both people and nature. Conservation successes occur when the
approach is not only transdisciplinary but multidisciplinary and community-
basedaswell.Wearetruly—allspecies—inthistogether.
Ourhopeisthat,inadditiontoservingasaneducationalresource,youwill
findinspirationinthispublication,andperhapsevenenlightenmentregarding
whatittrulymeanstobeaconservationist.Perhaps,itwillserveasacatalyst
totransformyourmindsetandapproachtoconservation,throughrecognizing
thathumansarenotonlythesourceofthechallengesweface,butarealsothe
keytoradicaltransformationsandsustainablesolutions.Asaconservationist,
youholdagreatandhonorableresponsibilitytobethechangeyouwishtosee
in the world. The contributors to this textbook are indeed silent heroes in a
worlddesperateforfearlessadvocatesofconsciouschange.Itisourhonorto
Preface vii
share the inspiring work of the authors featured in this textbook, who have
tirelesslydevotedtheirlivestoprotectingMotherNature.
Gainesville,FL HayleyR.Adams
SusanC.Underkoffler
Contents
PartI TheMultidisciplinaryApproachtoConservation
BuildingPeacetoSaveNature:Multi-disciplinaryApproaches
toManagingConflictsinConservation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
IslaD.Hodgson,JeremyCusack,IsabelJones,JeroenMinderman,
LovisaNilsson,RocίoA.Pozo,O.SarobidyRakotonarivo,
andNilsBunnefeld
TranscendingtheBoundariesofConservationandCommunity
DevelopmenttoAchieveLong-TermSustainabilityforPeople
andPlanet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
E.M.NaroandL.L.Lichtenfeld
TheChallengesofConservingBiodiversity:ASpotlighton
SoutheastAsia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
KathrynStrangandNathanRusli
GovernanceandChallengesofWildlifeConservationand
ManagementinKenya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
GeorgeE.Otianga-Owiti,JosephJohnL.Okori,StephenNyamasyo,
andDorothyA.Amwata
WildlifeConservationLaw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
MargaretE.Cooper
PartII ApplyingForensicScienceandIntegrativeDisciplines
toConservation
ConservationForensics:TheIntersectionofWildlifeCrime,
Forensics,andConservation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
AaronM.Haines,StephenL.Webb,andJohnR.Wallace
TheIntersectionofForensicTechniqueswithEcologicalIssues. . . 147
TiaraMoore,CamilleGaynus,PhillipS.Levin,andRachelMeyer
WildlifeForensicGeneticsandBiodiversityConservation:
TheIntersectionofScience,SpeciesManagement,andtheLaw. . . 163
MaryK.Burnham-Curtis,DyanJ.Straughan,BrianC.Hamlin,
HopeM.Draheim,TeagenK.GrayPartin,andDarrenJ.Wostenberg
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x Contents
CarrionEcology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
AdrienneBrundage
WildlifeForensicPathology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
JohnE.Cooper
TheRoleofConservationDogDetectionandEcological
MonitoringinSupportingEnvironmentalForensics
andEnforcementInitiatives. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . 287
NgaioL.Richards,JenniferHartman,MeganParker,LaurenWendt,
andChrisSalisbury
ProcessingtheWildlifeCrimeSceneandEvidenceofForensic
Importance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
RoderickB.PotterandSusanC.Underkoffler
PartIII Species-SpecificMethodologiesandSpecialTopics
inConservationForensicsandBiodiversityProtection
GorillaConservationandOneHealth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
GladysKalema-Zikusoka,AlexNgabirano,andStephenRubanga
ForensicScienceinMarineMammalogy:Applications
andLimitations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
MeganStolen
ContaminantsasaConservationThreattoMarineMammals. . . . 401
MarieNoëlandTanyaM.Brown
TheIntentionalUseofPesticidesasPoisoninKenya:
ConservationandEcohealthImpacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
MartinOdinoandDarcyOgada
APrimertotheGlobalTradeofReptiles:Magnitude,Key
Challenges,andImplicationsforConservation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
JordiJanssen
®
RhODIS (TheRhinocerosDNAIndexSystem):TheApplication
ofSimpleForensicandGeneticToolsHelpConserveAfrican
Rhinoceros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
CindyKimHarper
About the Editors
Susan Underkoffler, MFS, holds an Associates of Fine Arts degree, two
Bachelor of Arts degrees in Conservation Biology and Scientific Illustration
from Arcadia University, and a Master of Forensic Science degree from
DrexelUniversityCollegeofMedicine.Shehasspentovertenyearsapplying
forensic and criminalistic techniques to the investigation of animal crimes,
firstasForensicsManagerforthePennsylvaniaSPCA,whereshedeveloped
the first Forensics Unit and handled all forensic responsibilities associated
withhumanelawenforcementanimalcrueltycases,andthenasaconsultant
to wildlife, livestock, and companion animalorganizations. For many years,
shewasanenvironmentalscientist,performingwetlanddelineations,PhaseI
siteassessments,andwildlifeandhabitatevaluationsandmonitoringinboth
PennsylvaniaandDelaware,andpriortothatsheresearchedvaccinedevelop-
ment using molecular biotechnology approaches with plants as vector
systems. She is currently Director of the Wildlife Forensic Sciences and
ConservationgraduateprogramattheUniversityofFlorida.
Susanhastravelednationallyandinternationallyasaprofessionalconsultant
andeducatorforwildlifeandanimalcrueltyinvestigationsandhasconducted
publishedinternationalresearchinseveralAfricancountries.Herartworkand
illustrationshavereceivednumerousawardsandhavebeenfeaturedinmany
scientific publications and private collections. A passionate science commu-
nicator,sheenjoysbringingtolifeherbackground,experiences,andcommit-
menttoconservationthroughherart.
HayleyR.Adams hasover20yearsofexperienceinconservationmedicine
and One Health. She has a particular interest in the multidisciplinary and
community-basedapproach toconservation challenges andenjoys exploring
the human dimensions of conservation. She is the Founder and Director of
Silent Heroes Foundation, a private foundation devoted to supporting con-
sciousconservationinitiativesaroundtheglobe.
She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of
Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. In 2007, she received
herPhDfromtheUniversityofTennesseeCollegeofVeterinaryMedicine’s
Comparative Medicine Program, with a concentration in epidemiology and
virology. Her PhD research focused on the molecular epidemiology and
diagnosisoflentivirusesoffree-ranginglionsinsouthernAfrica.
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