WildLife Group
of the SAVA
of origin, but also outside of the country including
the consumer countries, as well as linking weapons,
clothing and other objects used in the crime to a
specific poaching incident. This provides the forensic
evidence for conviction and harsher sentencing.
To date, over 400 rhinoceros poaching cases have
been submitted to the VGL for DNA analysis and this
process is ongoing.
A further advantage of this system includes the
tracking of individual animals from the point
of capture in the national parks to the farm
where the animal is destined. Each movement
thereafter requires a permit from the Department
of Environmental Affairs at a provincial level and
the taking of a DNA sample for identification is a
condition for a permit. Rhinoceros horns recovered
from poaching incidents and following stock pile theft
can also be identified, and if added to the database
previously can be returned to the legal owner. Animals
found at locations other than specified on issued
permits will also require investigation.
The principle of the RhODIS™ database is based on
the CODIS system of human DNA profiles of the FBI,
hence the name. The main aim of this database is the
forensic application of matching recovered horns to
poached rhinoceros carcasses. RhODIS™ is a single
secure database that is populated with DNA profile
data of individual rhinoceroses produced under
stringent quality compliant laboratory conditions
in the VGL. Any laboratory wishing to upload to the
database in future, would have to comply with all
quality requirements and pass regular proficiency
tests to ensure the integrity of the data. Under
RhODIS™ this laboratory system will be produced and
be made available as required. An external laboratory
will act as the reciprocal proficiency testing laboratory
of the VGL to ensure data integrity.
A recent collaboration between Kenya in the form
of KWS (Kenya Wildlife Service) and Jomo Kenyatta
University of Agriculture and Technology, which
included a training visit by three representatives
from these organizations to the VGL, represents the
first step in the expansion of the program to another
laboratory.
10
Additional benefits of this database include
population management through genetic population
analysis. This analysis will be provided as an additional
benefit of RhODIS™ to owners that request it. The
RhODIS™ system allows the owner of an animal/s or
samples to maintain ownership of the samples and
data derived from these samples. Samples and data
may not be given to any other owners, submitters,
researchers or individuals without the original
owner’s permission. An evidentiary agreement
when submitting samples will simply mean that all
DNA profiles added to the RhODIS™ database will
be subject to forensic interrogation as part of the
investigation of poaching cases and movement of
rhinoceros and rhinoceros horns.
Application to use data for specific research may
be made to the RhODIS™ management committee
and this will be considered and granted only after
consultation with the owners of the samples. It is
hoped that this centralized system will ensure that
questions regarding rhinoceros genetics are answered
and that the answers are provided to the people on
the ground directly and within a reasonable time or
at regular intervals as required. The stringent quality
requirements of RhODIS™ have extended to the
collection of field samples to ensure that the integrity
of any data used in court cannot be questioned. This
has been done by the development and distribution
of a RhODIS™ sample collection kit. The kit has been
developed in collaboration with the SAPS Forensic
Science Laboratory in Pretoria and the Environmental
Crime Investigating Unit of SANParks. The kit contains
blood tubes, sample bottles for tissue and horn
shavings, a disposable scalpel, drill bit, gloves prelabelled with bar-coded labels and packed in a sealed
container.
A form describing how the kit should be used and
providing space to write the information that is
required for the database is included with the
container in a sealed forensic evidence bag. A
second unsealed bag is also included to return the
container with samples, completed form and used or
unused items. Data is captured from the form at the
laboratory, samples are processed and used items
disposed or de-contaminated and re-packed to reduce