Result description
The Wildlife Forensic Toolkit is a practical, low-cost, and portable solution to help rangers and first responders manage wildlife crime scenes and protect forensic evidence. Developed in collaboration with universities in the Netherlands and the UK, and shaped by input from field rangers and forensic scientists, it meets real-world needs with adaptable modules tailored to regional threats and species.
With a target cost under €250 per kit, it’s accessible for conservation groups and enforcement agencies with limited budgets. The kit includes essentials like swabs, tweezers, sterile containers, evidence markers, barrier tape, protective gear (e.g. gloves, masks), and a lightweight base bag (usually a fanny pack), plus optional modules for specific crime types.
Its design reflects input from forensic students and rangers in Bulgaria, South Africa, Romania, Slovakia, and Luxembourg. Each module can be customised for species and threats in the region—from brown bears in Bulgaria and rhinos in South Africa to sturgeon in Romania.
Addressing target audiences and expressing needs
- Collaboration
Platform and testers, and commercial partners, to provide the parts of the toolkit
- International Organisations (ex. OECD, FAO, UN, etc.)
- Other Actors who can help us fulfil our market potential
- Academia/ Universities
R&D, Technology and Innovation aspects
All research, designs, and guidance will be shared online under a Creative Commons licence, enabling others to produce or adapt the toolkit. Universities are encouraged to integrate the design into curricula, supporting future innovation. While the team won’t commercialise it, they may support partners by sharing materials and insights.
To scale beyond the project, all research, designs, and guidance materials will be made openly available online under a Creative Commons licence. This allows other organisations and companies to produce the toolkit locally or adapt it to new field conditions. Universities involved in the toolkit’s development are encouraged to continue integrating the design challenge into their curricula, supporting future iterations and innovation.
The toolkit ingredients can be found on the website.
Result submitted to Horizon Results Platform by INSTITUT PO BIORAZNOOBRAZIE I EKOSISTEMNI IZSLEDVANIYA BALGARSKA AKADEMIYA NA NAUKITE
