This immersive one-week program is designed specifically for African university students who are passionate about wildlife conservation and forensic science. The course provides practical, hands-on training to equip you with the essential skills to secure and manage a wildlife crime scene as a first responder. You will learn how to properly document and gather evidence in compliance with standard operating procedures - skills critical in the absence of forensic experts.

This training is suitable for students within the following fields but not limited to: conservation, forensic science, and criminology.

Course duration: 40 hours

Learning Objectives:

• Identify various types of crime scenes.

• Identify what has to be documented at a scene.

• Recognize ways in which a crime scene can be contaminated.

• Demonstrate how to photograph crime scenes and evidence.

• Demonstrate how to collect fragile evidence.

• Illustrate a rough sketch.

• Demonstrate how to document shoe prints and tyre tracks.

• Outline safety precautions necessary at a crime scene.

• Identify the proper methods for approaching and securing a crime scene.

• Explain the process involved in handling a crime scene.

• Explain the chain of evidence/ chain of custody.
  

Course Outcomes:

• Students learn forensic skills, understand the background to wildlife crime and can give insights to the field;

• Students have a once in a lifetime experience on African soil being exposed to the issues and role-players in this field;

• Students gain the confidence to conduct a wildlife crime investigation with forensic trace collection, documentation, and present their case in a courtroom.