Module 15 :: Emerging Trends
Topic 4 :: Other Non-human Forensic DNA Analysis

Analysis of Non-human Samples

Forensic DNA methods are being applied to criminal cases involving virtually any nonhuman source imaginable:

Cat and dog hairs and bodily fluids may be associated with a crime.
Fur, feathers, bone, blood, urine, feces, and saliva may link an animal to a poacher or verify illegal importation of animal products such as pelts or tusks.
Meat products may be traced to cattle with mad-cow disease.
Pods, seeds, leaves, bark, and roots of illegal plants or controlled substances, including marijuana may be present at a crime scene. Data collected from plants constitutes the newly emerging field of forensic botany.2