In a world of economic divide and poverty, it is no surprise that people are forced to turn to extreme measures to provide for themselves and their families. This situation is not uncommon across the globe: CITES’ World Wildlife Trade Report states that approximately half of CITES-listed animal exports originate from Asia each year. Additionally, the monetary drivers of this illegal practice are apparent, with estimates that the illegal wildlife trade is worth up to $20 billion (USD) annually on the black market.
Current Measures Tackling This Environmental Issue
Morphological identification is the most common practice used by border controls to assess whether a product has come from protected species. This method uses characteristic features, such as colour, markings, and shape, to identify one species from another. However, it can be inaccurate due to many samples being degraded or deformed, and it allows for human error. The other method is molecular screening, where a DNA sample is taken from the product, analyzed, and compared to an online DNA database to identify the species the sample belonged to. This method is limited as the costs related to and the demand for molecular screening of suspected illegal wildlife products are not comparable.
WildTechDNA's Revolutionary Work
This technological gap has paved the way for the work of WildTechDNA. I had the privilege to speak to their founder, Dr. Natalie Schmitt, about this new technology, its uses, and its aims.
Dr. Schmitt describes this new WildTechDNA technology as an inexpensive paper-based device that will be portable, affordable, rapid (one minute to give a result), and as simple as a pregnancy test, enabling non-experts to use it. Each test will cost less than $1, though they are not reusable. This device does not have the power to identify the specific species; therefore, molecular screening would still be needed to obtain species-specific details. Instead, the device will inform the user if the sample has come from a protected species, allowing the sample to be seized and molecular screening to be used afterward. This process would save money in the long term by reducing laboratory and staff costs, as samples would only be tested using molecular screening if the initial test indicates the presence of a protected species.
In addition to the monetary savings of this product, it will help customs identify illegal goods more quickly and with greater accuracy. This evidence will then allow customs to seize the products, and the information can be used to prepare legal cases against those trading in illegal products. Hopefully, this will deter future attempts at trafficking, thus reducing the trade in the long term.
What Is Next for WildTechDNA?
Dr. Schmitt emphasized that this program is in the early stages of development, having moved from the lab to developing a prototype, whose uses will be refined to ensure the technology is suitable for its purpose.
While this technology is only at the start of its development, it is reassuring to hear that such companies are aiming to tackle such a major issue and open new avenues for testing wildlife samples. I would like to thank Dr. Schmitt for her time and wish her and the rest of WildTechDNA the best of luck in their future work.
Check out WildTechDNA here
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