Investigating an implementation gap: uncovering the potential of eDNA in combating illegal wildlife trade

Abstract The increasing threat of illegal wildlife trade (IWT) poses a great risk to global conservation efforts due to its detrimental impact on ecosystems and threatened species. We explore the integration of molecular methodologies with wildlife forensics to help combat IWT, using a literature review to assess the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a complementary tool to current efforts. While genetic methods have long been central to IWT investigations, eDNA emerges as a non-invasive, real-time detection technique that addresses some inherent limitations of traditional approaches. Through a review of real-world applications (case-studies) in the literature, our analysis highlights the advantages and challenges of eDNA, advocating for its broader application in global biodiversity conservation efforts. Indeed, its non-invasive approach not only cuts down on the resources required for preliminary investigations, eDNA offers screening opportunities but also facilitates real-time detection, overcoming the time constraints of conventional sampling methods. By increasing the diversity of species examined, eDNA techniques could enhance the identification of a wider range of trafficked species in known trade hotspots but current implementation remains limited.