A Comparative Study of Hair from two Panthera and one Leucistic Species for Forensic Purposes
Kanchan S. Kotwale
Dr. Rafiq Zakaria College of Women, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
Rajesh Kumar
Government Institute of Forensic Science, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
Vidya Pradhan *
Dr. Rafiq Zakaria College of Women, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Guard hair of two Panthera species and one leucistic species from Siddharth Zoological Park Maharashtra of India. It is protected species in India according to the wildlife protection act of 1972. The microscopic technique was used for studying hair morphology, including hair characteristics such as medulla pattern, hair thickness, and diameter of hairs was studied. This study could help to identify and determination of animal species, to deal with wildlife crimes cases as well as illegal wildlife trade in India and across the country. Although some species could be identified very easily based on some hair characteristics, observed under microscopy. Hair samples were examined using a different parameter for the determination of some similar family species in the present study we studied the hair characteristic of three Panthera species. Such as white Panthera, Bengal Panthera, and leopard. Three endangered species have been examined and compared with each other. The present study could help to prevent wildlife crimes.
Keywords: Wildlife forensic, microscopy, hair, species