9

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

present at the primary CSI. The use of DSLR-cameras or compact cameras with high resolution is much preferable to the use of smartphone cameras. Spare batteries and memory cards, a flash unit, a tripod as well as photo cards, rulers/scales and evidence placards should always be part of the basic equipment when documenting the crime scene. Pay attention to have date and time stamp correctly set in the menu of the camera in use! For long-term storage, the photos must be transferred to a computer or an external HDD/SSD. Copies of the images may be processed to enhance their quality, however, the original imagefiles with the original names must be retained and no original image must be deleted. 45 The sequence of images taken should always be overview => mid-range => close up. Overview images should provide information on the scene and its surroundings, the location of it and the relationship to other locations and structures (panoramic view). Including significant landmarks such as distinct buildings, natural structures such as distinct trees or other will greatly aid subsequent investigators in getting an overall picture of the scene and the place and surroundings a suspected wildlife crime has occurred. Mid-range images will provide a closer look at the items of interest while still giving information on their spatial relationship to the crime site. Close-up images shall be taken from any object of interest, preferably both with evidence placards and measuring devices (ruler, tape). To reduce distortion, take images at a 90° angle. Especially, all suspicious alterations of the carcass, e.g. discoloration, blood etc. must be documented. For videography, the same principles as mentioned above apply. Using a tripod will greatly enhance the quality of the recordings. Audio should be turned off to prevent any unwanted or unnecessary communication to be recorded. 5.3 Searching a wildlife crime scene A thorough and systematic search in an established pattern (clockwise/anticlockwise; grid pattern; spiral pattern) must be conducted at the crime site to recover and collect any possible item that may be of interest for the investigations. Possible evidence to be looked for includes: • Other carcasses in the vicinity • Bones/Hairs/Feathers • Baits • Vomit • Faeces that may be indicative of longer immobility • Spent ammunition/cartridges • Cigarette butts and other items near the carcass with possible genetic evidence of the possible perpetrator • Tyre tracks/foot imprints • Signs of animal-fighting at the site (e.g. excessive amount of hairs/feathers at site, disturbed/discoloured soil) 46 Especially in suspected wildlife poisoning cases, the search must cover a relatively large area, since in our experience, multiple poisonings are common, e.g. if numerous individuals feed on a poisoned bait. A number of these animals may initially survive poison uptake and capable of moving away from the baiting site but subsequently succumb to the poison in the near vicinity. It is therefore recommended that a search radius of at least 250m around the initial crime site of a suspected poisoning event is undertaken. Further, in cases of suspected illegal shootings, an extensive search as far as the possible shooting distance may reveal evidence such as spent ammunition cartridges that may yield important evidence such as distinctive marks that later may be assigned to a distinct weapon by forensic laboratories. 5.4 Collection of evidence at a suspected wildlife crime site Again, it cannot be overemphasized that, when collecting biological evidence, all handlers must don their PPE (personal protective equipment) to avoid any health hazards that might ensue in a suspected wildlife crime, e.g. poisons and pathogens (especially zoonotic agents). Further, all items must be seized in a manner that prevents destruction, degradation or crosscontamination. Regarding the latter, multiple changing of the gloves is therefore recommended, for example in between handling different carcasses at a multiple death crime site. If the collecting team is in doubt about the appropriate method for sampling, they should consult with the respective laboratory. Before collecting any material, an appropriate technique to collect fingerprints and DNA samples the possible perpetrator might have left (e.g. swabs) must be applied. 5.4.1 Labelling To prevent any confusion during transport and the subsequent investigations, correct labelling the items that are retrieved at the crime site is of crucial importance. All packages must be sealed (e.g. adhesive tape) and it is recommended that the collector write initials, date and time over the seal. In order to identify the contents, a unique identifier, for example case number plus a sequential number, must be inscribed at the packaging at a prominent place 47 with a permanent marker. Avoid, e.g., placing the identifier solely on the lid of a container since once the lid is opened, the contents of the container is not identifiable. It is recommended to photograph the final package with seal and labelling visible. If the package has to be reopened, avoid, whenever possible, destroying the original seal and open the package from another location. Upon resealing, the seal should be labelled in the same manner as mentioned above. After finishing collection and labelling of the recovered evidence, a complete list of evidence must be made. This list must include unique identifiers, brief description of the item, date and time of collection and the collectors ID. 5.4.2 Packaging, transportation and storage All evidence has to be transported and stored appropriately in terms of safety, continuity and standard operating procedures of crime investigations. While any non-biological item like spent ammunition cartridges normally require no special procedures and considerations, carcasses and other biological samples from a wildlife crime must be given special attention to avoid degradation or even destruction of them during transport and storage and to minimize any possible hazard to the environment. Biological samples from a wildlife crime site normally comprise the complete animalcarcasses and sometimes samples of