At Jain University students gets hands-on experience in wildlife forensics

For the first time, Jain (deemed to be university) School of Sciences along with its research centre Centre for Urban Ecology Biodiversity Evolution and Climate Change (CUBEC), organised a three-day event called Wildlife Forensics: Conservation, Crime, and Prevention.

For the first time, Jain (deemed to be university) School of Sciences along with its research centre Centre for Urban Ecology Biodiversity Evolution and Climate Change (CUBEC), organised a three-day event called Wildlife Forensics: Conservation, Crime, and Prevention.

The event aimed to throw light on practical aspects of Wildlife Forensics to students and researchers.

The first day held a symposium and panel discussion on contemporary challenges in mitigating Indian wildlife crime investigation. The day also sessions by speakers such as conservation biologist Dr. Sanjay Gubbi and Asian Vulture conservationist Dr. Christopher Bowden.

The event looked at themes such as illegal wildlife and repatriation, tools to mitigate wildlife crimes, and endangered species.

Workshops held on the second day gave students deeper insights and hands-on experience in wildlife crime scene investigations, cyber security practices, DNA analysis and raw drug identification.

Mock crime scenes were set up in several parts of the college, and experts in wildlife forensics guided the students with investigating them. The students were also taught to observe and identify various plant specimens for authentication, that could be helpful for research purposes.

“The idea was to bring people who work on ground, but behind the scenes, and to introduce them to the students,” said Dr. Chetan Nag KS, chairman of the core organising committee.