DNP set to build DNA database for wildlife
The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department invited the press to its wildlife forensic lab yesterday to demonstrate its accountability and transparency in wildlife forensic investigation in a move to counter the strong opposition of elephant owners. Kanita Ouithavorn, chief of the department’s Wildlife Forensic Science Unit, said the unit’s mission is to gather the DNA of wildlife in the country and keep the data in a bank as well as develop a database to crosscheck and verify the gene characteristics and species. Over the past few years, it has expanded its work in wildlife forensic investigation to help in legal proceedings against wildlife crimes by providing objective and scientific proof. This work has become increasingly important in the legal process and is acknowledged in court, she claimed.
