Protocol developed by the Forensic Science Police of Santa Catarina, Brazil, for identifying wildlife animal species...

The identification of wildlife animal species using skeletal remains is of utmost importance in the fight against illegal hunting. In order to achieve assertive identification, the use of reliable and accessible techniques is mandatory. The present study evaluates radiography and maceration techniques for successful species identification of seized material in Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. The identification was conducted following a protocol developed by the Forensic Science Police of Santa Catarina, and contains cases of multiple mammalian and avian species, and methods were compared regarding precision, demanded time, and cost. A total of 11 different species were identified using the protocol. The results indicate that both radiography and maceration were effective to identify most of the seized material, and additional DNA analysis was necessary in very few cases. In addition, the identification using radiography was faster, and precise for most cases, while presenting low-cost to be conducted. This study underscores the applicability of radiography and maceration in forensic investigations and highlights their potential for broader forensic applications. Additionally, such methodologies are expected to be widely disseminated and standardized for other expert contexts.