HKU ecologists develop a novel forensic tool for detecting laundering of critically endangered cockatoos

(The University of Hong Kong) Ecologists at the University of Hong Kong have applied stable isotope techniques to determine whether birds in the pet trade are captive or wild-caught, a key piece of evidence required in many cases to determine whether a trade is legal or not. They have applied this technique to the yellow-crested cockatoo, a critically endangered species from Indonesia/Timor-Leste with a global population of fewer than 2,500, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news