ABSTRACT

South Africa experienced since 2008 high escalations in rhinoceros poaching. It is essential to protect southern Africa’s heritage by developing/adapting new research methods and techniques that can assist prosecutors to improve their successes in achieving convictions. The paper aimed to investigate the use of forensic geomorphology in the context of a poached rhino to assist in the prosecution of suspected poachers in the absence of any DNA linkages. Two experimental study sites mimicked the aspects of the landscape in which rhinoceros normally occur. Trace evidence was removed from the suspects that moved through the landscape in order to verify if any significant similarities could be identified against control samples collected at poaching sites and at locations based on the terrain utilized by the poachers during the simulated poaching incident. The paper concluded that a linkage could be recognized between the selected landscape and the collected trace evidence. The results indicate that the first experimental study site illustrated a definite linkage between the suspects and the poaching site, whereas the second experimental study site suggested that there was a possibility that a linkage could be made. This study only used inorganic material such as sand grains to link suspects to scenes.

摘要

自2008年以来，南非经历了犀牛偷猎的高度升级。通过开发/适应新的研究方法和技术来保护南部非洲的遗产至关重要，新的研究方法和技术可以帮助检察官提高成功的信念。该论文旨在调查在没有任何DNA关联的情况下在水煮犀牛中使用法医地貌来协助起诉可疑偷猎者的行为。两个实验研究地点模仿了通常犀牛出现的地形。从在整个景观中移动的犯罪嫌疑人中删除了痕量证据，以验证是否可以根据在偷猎事件期间偷猎者利用的地形，在偷猎地点和地点收集的对照样品中发现任何明显的相似性。该论文的结论是，在选定的景观和收集的痕迹证据之间可以识别出一种联系。结果表明，第一个实验研究地点表明了犯罪嫌疑人与偷猎地点之间的明确联系，而第二个实验研究地点则表明存在建立联系的可能性。这项研究仅使用沙粒等无机材料将嫌疑犯与现场联系起来。该论文的结论是，在选定的景观和收集的痕迹证据之间可以识别出一种联系。结果表明，第一个实验研究地点表明了犯罪嫌疑人与偷猎地点之间的明确联系，而第二个实验研究地点则表明存在建立联系的可能性。这项研究仅使用沙粒等无机材料将嫌疑犯与现场联系起来。该论文的结论是，在选定的景观和收集的痕迹证据之间可以识别出一种联系。结果表明，第一个实验研究地点表明了犯罪嫌疑人与偷猎地点之间的明确联系，而第二个实验研究地点则表明存在建立联系的可能性。这项研究仅使用沙粒等无机材料将嫌疑犯与现场联系起来。