Produced by Opterra in collaboration with the Swedish Ranger and Nature Conservation Association

PART 2: CRIMES AGAINST BIODIVESITY

Crimes against biodiversity often take place in secret – far from the public eye, out in forests, mountains, and wetlands where the victims have no voice. This section of RAMs is a practical guide for how you, as a nature protection ranger, supervisory authority staff, or police officer, can identify, document, and investigate these crimes. The material is based on the comprehensive Police Investigation Manual of Offences Against Biodiversity, developed within the LIFE project Guardianes de la Naturaleza.

_{⚠️ Note:}

_{This tool is intended to function as a field aide mémoire – not as a substitute for complete training. To use the information correctly and in accordance with legal standards, it is assumed that the user has read the full Police Investigation Manual of Offences Against Biodiversity.}

_{📥 The manual can be downloaded from the project’s website:
https://guardianes.seo.org/download/police-investigation-manual-of-offences-against-biodiversity/}

_{We recommend downloading and carrying a copy in digital or printed format as a reference.}

The guide covers, among other things, how to recognise prohibited hunting methods, interpret the disposition of a carcass to understand cause of death, and distinguish between natural and criminal deaths – for example through poisoning, shooting, or electrocution. You will also find an overview of the entire investigative process: from the first field discovery to the legal proceedings, including forensic collaborations, sample handling, and international cooperation.

Regarding the use of the information in this RAMs section:

Only the chapters marked in bold are covered in this part of RAMs, as they are the most relevant for practical fieldwork. Other chapters are listed for reference only and are not included in the content on this website. In-depth knowledge requires reading the full manual.

1. General context for investigation of environmental crimes
2. Prohibited hunting devices and illegal use
3. Carcass disposition
4. Identification of death by poisoning
5. Identification of death by shooting
6. Identification of death by snares and other local traps
7. Identification of death by cage traps
8. Identification of death by kill traps
9. Identification of death by electrocution
10. Signs of death by collision
11. The investigative process – from field to court
12. Other aspects to consider during investigative procedures
13. Documentation and records in biodiversity investigations
14. Police photography
15. Labelling, packaging, and transport to laboratory
16. Establishing time of death and forensic entomology
17. Forensic laboratory – functions and procedures
18. Interpretation of analysis results and lab reports
19. Determination of fire cause
20. Cross-border cooperation and illegal wildlife trade
21. Citizen collaboration – the role of NGOs in investigations

⚠️ Note:

_{Only the chapters that are underlined are completed and ready for field use via RAMs. We are continuously working to summarise the remaining chapters to make the entire manual available as a practical tool for nature protection rangers, supervisory staff, and police officers. Thank you for your patience as this development work progresses.}

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