A genetic fingerprinting test for identifying carcasses of protected deer species in China

State governments in China have laid down laws for protecting rare and endangered species. This study develops a genetic test using ‘southern hybridization’ to identify carcases of Chinese water deer ( Hydropotes inermis Swinhoe) to provide forensic evidence of poaching. The method uses pta 2 oligonucleotide probe, which is quite distinct from PCR amplification and sequencing of Cytb gene or ribosomal sequences. It could be extended to identify other species of protected deer.