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@article{172461,
        author = {Asheesh Maihla and Meenakshi Mahajan and Aditi Sinha and Ajay Sehgal},
        title = {Identification of Wild Fauna in Illegal Trade through Integrated Forensic Approach: A Case Study},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {11},
        number = {8},
        pages = {3484-3489},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=172461},
        abstract = {Every now and then, there are reports of the hunting and poaching of the Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus, Phasianidae), a protected species, which in turn burdens forensic investigators to provide irrefutable evidence and reveal the truth behind these illicit activities. Although technological advancements have helped investigation agencies reach criminals at a faster pace and collect objective evidence, wild flora and fauna remain under great threat due to the lucrative nature of the illegal wildlife trade. During a routine check at an inter-state barrier, the police seized a consignment of suspected feathers and crests of the Himalayan Monal, along with the cell phones of the vehicle's occupants. The biological materials were examined using multifaceted forensic techniques, including morphological, microscopic, and serological analyses, and were identified as the crests of the Himalayan Monal, a species protected under Schedule-1 of the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972. Furthermore, the lab analysis of the seized cell phones of the suspects using highly sophisticated tools revealed incriminating chats and photographs related to the illegal trade of the Monal's crests, which helped the authorities connect the suspects to the crime.},
        keywords = {Wildlife Forensics, Digital Forensics, Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus), Species of origin test, microscopical analysis, UFED, UFED Physical Analyser},
        month = {February},
        }