Local Heroes

Back in the 1970s a special agent of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was assigned to coordinate endangered species investigations around the country. Initially it doesn't sound like a daunting task,but unlike forensic labs for humans there were no samples to compare with and provide proof that the animals (that were sometimes in parts) were indeed endangered,so most cases didn't have a positive outcome. A former police crime lab director was hired to set up the program,in 1988 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Laboratory opened in Ashland,Oregon. Today the lab is still the only one of its kind in the world. The lab covers all 50 states as well as 173 countries. They conduct crime scene investigations, determine cause of death,determine if a crime occurred,and provide expert testimony in court. They have a team of 33 people and handle about 900 cases a year. With this team on the job endangered animals finally have a fighting chance.