Did you know that our wildlife forensics lab is the only one in all of Zimbabwe? It’s also the only lab in the region conducting wildlife forensics work for species identification, which is critical for court cases.

How Does It Work?

When investigators find a dead animal suspected to have died due to foul play, they must collect evidence from the animal and its surroundings, treating it like a crime scene. Sometimes, people are arrested with meat in their possession. If that meat belongs to a wildlife species and the person does not have the proper permits for that species, the meat becomes evidence in a crime scene investigation.

The key question investigators ask is: “What species is it?”

The penalties for poaching depend on the species involved.  To help investigators determine whether their evidence originates from a wildlife species, they submit it to our laboratory for analysis and species identification.

Each year, we test hundreds of samples for wildlife forensics: the results are making a huge impact.

This year alone, we’ve achieved significant results:

• May: We confirmed evidence in a lion poaching case, leading to the arrest and sentencing of three individuals to 24 months in prison.
• April: Analysis of bushmeat identified it as warthog, resulting in an 18-month sentence for the accused.
• Two buffalo cases: Each perpetrator was found guilty and sentenced to 10 months in prison.

Help us raise $5,000 to cover the annual costs of reagents needed for species identification.

Our work ensures that wildlife criminals are held accountable.

But the costs of running these tests are high, and we can’t sustain this vital work without your support.

How Can You Help?

Each sample we test costs approximately $100, primarily due to the expensive reagents we need to import every three months.

Your donation will help us continue this critical work, helping investigators analyze evidence swiftly and keep wildlife criminals behind bars.

Together, we’ve already made huge strides!

In Zimbabwe, there’s a quick turnaround between arrests, charges, and court appearances. Thanks to the generous support of US Friends of VFWT, we’ve improved our laboratory turnaround times significantly with a new DNA sequencer.

Previously, processing casework took two to three weeks, as we

had to send PCR products overseas by special courier for sequencing. Now, with in-house sequencing (above), we’ve reduced the turnaround time to just three to five days! This rapid processing means fewer delays, ensuring that suspects are charged and less likely to disappear before prosecution.

Above: Our lab team could hardly contain their excitement earlier this year when the long-awaited Minion DNA sequencer was put to the test for the first time – just a few days after it arriving and being eagerly unboxed. This powerful tool has already revolutionized our forensic work.

As the year comes to a close, our Rescue and Rehabilitation ground team won’t be taking a break like everyone else. They’ll be out there, tirelessly helping the creatures that need them most.

This season of giving, we have some exciting news to share: two generous donors have pledged a combined match funding of USD 20,000.

But we can only access it if we match their contribution.

Every gift, no matter the size, will make a difference. By giving today, you’ll double your impact—and help us double ours in the field.

Sufficient funding will mean no casework is delayed, allowing courts to proceed quickly with proceedings, meaning less chance of poachers walking free due to evidence not being produced quickly enough.

Thank you for helping us sustain this vital work.

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Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust | PO Box 23183, San Diego, CA 92193 www.vicfallswildlifetrust.org
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