Scientific tests to help crackdown on bird poaching

Scientific tests, similar to those used to determine human paternity suits and solve criminal cases, are being used in Western Australia to crackdown on native bird poaching.

WA has pioneered the use of DNA fingerprinting for this purpose.

Environment Minister Bob Pearce said DNA testing had already identified birds illegally trapped in the wild and passed off as the offspring of captive birds.

"Four aviculturists have been successfully prosecuted by CALM under the Wildlife Conservation Act and another four cases are pending," Mr Pearce said.

"The State Government and CALM are very concerned about any form of nest robbing and native bird poaching.

"White-tailed and red-tailed black cockatoos are two species which fetch high prices on the illegal market, and their numbers have been declining in the wild.

"Their scarcity in the wild, and as captive stock, makes a pair of red-tails alone worth $5,000 on the local market - the black market in smuggled Australian birds pays far more," Mr Pearce said.

"Wildlife officers became increasingly suspicious when the level of nest robbing rose at the same time as there was a dramatic increase in reports of breeding success in cockatoos, known to be very difficult to breed in captivity.

"They approached scientists at Curtin University, who are pioneering some of the work on genetic fingerprinting in Australia, to set up data bases for white-tailed and red-tailed black cockatoos.

"Of course, we are not pointing a finger at the majority of aviculturists who operate legally and adhere to their licence conditions," Mr Pearce said.

"In fact, the technology which allows us to identify and prosecute illegal bird trappers could benefit all aviculturists.

"Genetic fingerprinting could be used to sex hatchlings born in captivity and to establish bird pedigrees - both could increase the value of birds for sale."

The pattern of genetic information in the DNA molecule is as unique as a fingerprint.

Unrelated individuals vary considerably, but there is a high correlation between members of the same family, as offspring inherit genetic characteristics from both parents.

Minute blood samples - usually less than half a millilitre taken from the bird - are put through a series of chemical processes and the bands of genetic material are recorded on X-ray film.

This image resembles the bar codes used to price supermarket goods and allows the genetic patterns of individuals to be compared and analysed.

The technology is also being used to study family relationships in other species, including the endangered western swamp tortoise, woylie and black-flanked rock wallaby.

Mr Pearce said the initiative had so impressed wildlife agencies elsewhere in Australia and overseas, that they were now asking CALM and Curtin University to examine their own specimens or help them establish similar programs.