The case of peafowl and porcupine killing: molecular perception of a heinous wildlife crime

We address a recent case where the forest officials found suspected flesh of nearly 10 peafowls and quills, bones with tissue remains of porcupine. Apart from quills, flesh and tissue bone mixture could not be differentiated on the basis of physical paramaters. Cytochrome oxidase I gene of the mitochondrial DNA was used for the identification of species. Sequence analysis revealed that the DNA obtained from flesh was of Indian peafowl which is included under Schedule I of The Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and DNA obtained from bones with tissue was of Indian crested porcupine which is also protected under The Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 amended upto 2002.