Following the 2015 research paper validating the use of new fingerprinting techniques for ivory for the first time, scientists at King’s have continued to lead the way in the use of forensics in the fight against poaching.

Since publishing the paper, the team have collaborated globally with wildlife organisations such as the International Fund for Animal Welfare to create simple fingerprinting kits and train park rangers, allowing them to pilot the use of fingerprint techniques in the field to help combat poaching directly.

The team from King’s have now been able to widen the scope of forensics for combatting poaching by combining the new technique with DNA profiling and it is also hoped that the work could provide an evidence base for the development of fingerprinting databases in countries that do not currently use them.

Find out more about the original study on Spotlight

Interested in studying at King’s? Find out more about King’s Forensics