Wildlife strikes are an unfortunate reality in the aviation world. The identification of birds or other species involved in a strike is an important component of understanding strike trends; however, this is not always easy. In many cases, remains consist only of residue blood or tissue. When a species is unidentifiable, DNA identification is the next best step to finalize the species involved.
What is DNA and how can we use it for identification?
DNA, short for deoxyribonucleic acid, is a double helix molecule which contains information about how an organism looks and functions. In humans, over 99% of an individual’s DNA is identical the DNA of other people. Similarly, for wildlife, all individuals belonging to a certain species would share characteristic DNA sequences which allows for differentiation between other species. Specialty laboratories around the world can take DNA snippets, also known as barcodes, of tissue samples from identified species to form a reference library for identification. Each DNA barcode represents one particular species.
If an airport wants to identify a species involved in a wildlife strike, a sample of the carcass can be collected then sent to a laboratory. A sequence is then obtained from the sample and matched with the reference library to figure out the identification of the species. Because DNA is sensitive data, proper equipment and techniques are required. This equipment is described below.
How do I collect wildlife strike evidence?
Have a DNA collection kit pre-assembled and ready to bring out on site for DNA collection. This kit should consist of the following:
1. Safety equipment such as latex gloves, protective eyewear, face masks and sanitizing gels, and of course good hygiene practices.
2. Sterile cotton buds and alcohol wipes or gauze to wipe tissue/blood off aircraft.
3. Resealable plastic bags to keep samples for transport while minimizing leaks and smell.
4. Permanent markers to write data directly on the bags.
5. Miscellaneous tools to help collection such as scissors to remove small pieces of flesh.
Use the appropriate tools and techniques depending on the type of sample.
Regardless of the sample, place in a resealable plastic bag. Then place in a larger resealable plastic bag, “double bagging”, to ensure no leakage in transport. If you are unable to ship the sample out to a lab for analysis immediately, do store them in a freezer. Who do I send the samples to?
It is preferable to send to a laboratory near you, as they would be more likely to have a reference library containing species samples from your country or region. If a local laboratory is not available in your region, below are credible institutions that offer DNA identification services for wildlife strikes:
Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia:
Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, United States: https://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/wildlife/smithsonian/
Do contact the institution before sending over any samples, as there may be permits required for transport of blood or tissue samples. Keep in mind that they may have specific requirements for how they would like the sample packaged and sent.
Another wildlife DNA resource made by the USDA, United States Department of Agriculture, describes everything discussed above in a video format which serves as a valuable accompanying visual guide for the information above:
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