The article, The Forensics of Snake Venom, by Douglas M. Main, explains how new DNA testing has increased justice in cases of smuggling dried cobra venom. In in Kerala, India authorities have made many arrests for venom trafficking. The activity is on the rise and includes milking highly venomous snakes, and then transporting the good and selling it at a very steep price. It’s illegal to trade in venom from any snake species protected under the country’s Wildlife Act, including the Indian cobra. But unfortunately, not all of the caught smugglers have been locked away due to inconclusive evidence. Before genetic analysis there was no way to prove which snake the venom came from. After a raid on a hotel room in Kerala, the local magistrate sent venom samples to the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad. For the first time, scientists were able to analyze DNA within the venom to prove that it came from the Indian cobra, or Naja naja. The study at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad found that the process of milking venom sheds epithelial cells. These cells contain DNA which, when analyzed, can reveal the type of snake it derives from.
Because of the conclusion of genetic analysis testing smugglers are facing the justice they deserved. They were charged with illegal hunting and trafficking of a protected animal, both of which are punishable by a prison sentence up to three years and/or a fine of about $500. The new discovery will stop the trafficking of the of venom, which will help clean up Kerala, India, where it was being used as a recreational drug. Illegal hunting of and trade in snakes and other reptiles is an enormous problem in South Asia, the process brings animals to extinction, which in turn harms all the wildlife in their habitat. Because of this new process Kerala will return to its peaceful state.
I personally thought this article was very interesting and drew my attention. I was expecting to find an article about a case about a shooting or something cliche. Instead it lead me to see the larger extent of forensic science spreading its influence all the way in Kerala India. It made me see just how science is affected by everything in this world. The article itself was old, but had links to more recent and related articles, which made my summary more relevant. The inclusion of the experts within the article also made the genetic analysis easier to comprehend.
Main, Douglas M. "The Forensics of Snake Venom." Green Blog. New York Times, Web. 08 May 2016.
1 comment:
I thought that Lain did a very good job of explaining the background of the article before relating it to forensics, since I didn’t know anything about venom trafficking and would have been very confused without her summary. I found it to be a very interesting subject once I learned a little about it. I thought she did a good job of explaining the significance of the article as well, since catching the venom traffickers seems to have had a big impact in India and South Asia. I had no idea that it was such a widespread business, or that it affected the environment and endangered animals so much. I also thought that Lain made a very good choice in terms of subject matter for her review, because most people think of homicide when they think of forensics, but this gives a good example of a completely different application for this discipline.
One thing I thought Lain could have done better is including a quote or two from the article in her review, just to get another voice in and make it sound better. Other than that I don’t have any suggestions.
One thing that astonished me reading the article is that I was wondering at first why trading snake venom was such a big business, and then I read that it was because people were using it as a recreational drug. A drug! Snake venom! Snake venom is supposed to kill people and animals! Why would anyone put it in their body on purpose? But apparently that’s why it’s being trafficked.
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