DNA Expert Likens BC Bear Attack Investigation to Human Crime Scene
A forensic DNA expert says investigators assessing the scene of this week’s deadly bear attack in Bella Coola, B.C., will likely use techniques to identify the culprit animal very similar to those used on a human crime scene. Dean Hildebrand, who oversees the accredited forensic DNA lab at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, says [...]
TL;DR
- Investigators in Bella Coola, B.C., will use DNA techniques similar to human crime scene investigations for a deadly bear attack.
- Samples like saliva, blood, or hair will be collected from the scene.
- Forensic labs will compare the DNA sequence from the samples to those of captured animals to identify the culprit.
- A key difference from human crime scenes is that investigators do not need to worry about cross-contaminating animal samples with their own DNA.