Forensic techniques are increasingly being used in the investigation of wildlife crime. In general, wildlife crime is any action which contravenes current legislation governing the protection of the UK’s wild animals and plants (UK National Wildlife Crime Unit).

Investigations may require the identification of species and provenance (DNA), parentage (wild or captive), soft and hard tissue morphology, and body parts and products (fur, feather, eggs, skin, horn).

Forensic analyses are routinely used in cases of animal baiting, persecution (poisoning, trapping, shooting, disturbance, theft), taxidermy examination, and poaching.