A new report by CNN’s Call to Earth highlights the Wildlife Forensics Academy (WFA), located within the Buffelsfontein Game and Nature Reserve, north of Cape Town.
By recreating wildlife crime scenes in a controlled environment, the academy equips students and rangers with essential forensic skills to ensure successful convictions against poachers.
Wildlife crimes, including poaching and animal trafficking, pose a significant threat to global biodiversity. The WFA, co-founded by Greg Simpson, provides forensic training to address this issue.
"It’s really important to give people skills so that they can collect evidence that can be used in an investigation and hopefully down the line will end up in a prosecution," Simpson told CNN.
In remote areas where wildlife crimes often occur, evidence can be easily contaminated by first responders who are not properly trained, hindering the identification and punishment of culprits.
The WFA aims to bridge this gap by offering comprehensive training that mimics real-life scenarios.
The WFA’s training facility, designed to resemble a typical dry landscape, uses life-size taxidermy animals with simulated wounds. This immersive setting helps students and rangers learn to handle evidence meticulously without compromising the crime scene.
After gathering evidence, students learn to chemically analyse it in an on-site laboratory. The programme culminates in a mock courtroom where they present their findings and undergo cross-examination.
Phil Snijman, the WFA’s director of education and a former state advocate, underscores the significance of this exercise, saying that "the purpose of cross-examination is to test the credibility, the trustworthiness of evidence. And unless you can survive it, the court might not accept your evidence“.
Launched in 2022, the WFA attracts university students and wildlife rangers from around the world, offering one to four-week courses. This year, the academy expects to train approximately 200 participants.
Leita Mkhabela, a ranger from the all-woman Black Mamba anti-poaching unit, highlights the practical impact of the training.
"This is something we come across every day, we have a high rate of rhino poaching. We have so many poachers that have walked free in court because rangers didn’t collect enough evidence. It’s really important for rangers to get this knowledge," Leita said.
The WFA’s mission extends beyond assisting law enforcement; it aims to raise awareness of the severe threats posed by the illegal wildlife trade. Simpson notes, "It’s a threat to biodiversity, it’s a threat to human health. If we can improve knowledge around this, that would be really valuable“.
IOL