How ADF Supports Wildlife Trafficking Investigations in Africa

Wildlife trafficking involves capturing, transporting, and selling endangered or protected species and their parts, such as ivory, rhino horn, pangolins, big cats, and exotic birds. The illegal wildlife trade (IWT), valued at $7-23 billion annually, poses one of the most urgent threats to African wildlife^[1]. Wildlife trafficking has severe consequences for Africa's biodiversity and ecosystems. It can lead to species depletion, disrupt ecosystems, and contribute to biodiversity loss. Additionally, it often involves organized criminal networks, which can have broader negative impacts on security and governance in affected regions.

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is a leading international conservation organization that has worked to protect Africa's iconic wildlife and their habitats for over 60 years. AWF was founded in 1961 with a mission to focus on Africa’s conservation needs. They articulate a uniquely African vision, bridge science, and public policy, and demonstrate the benefits of conservation to ensure the survival of the continent’s wildlife and their habitats.

Digital Forensic Tools Supporting AWF’s Wildlife Trafficking Investigations

ADF Solutions has established a partnership with The African Wildlife Foundation. Their support provides AWF with the necessary digital forensic tools needed to combat wildlife trafficking efficiently. ADF Software’s innovative features give the AWF the power they need to accomplish their mission. 

• Out-of-the-box and Custom Search Profiles: Out-of-the-box Search Profiles ship with ADF digital forensic software. With these ready-to-use profiles, investigators can perform rapid searches for files, artifacts, and relevant digital evidence. These pre-configured profiles are meticulously designed to streamline the investigative process by providing investigators with a head start. Instead, these profiles come readily equipped with predefined settings, search criteria, and filters that align with their mission objectives. Investigators also have the power to create custom search profiles to tailor their results further. 

• Digital Forensic Image Recognition and Classification: ADF’s image classification uses artificial intelligence and is trained to recognize a variety of visual classes relevant to its users. These classes included but are not limited to currency, people, portraits, scanned documents, vehicles, and weapons. The AI-driven software rapidly scans through the visual data, instantly recognizing patterns and classifying them into relevant categories. Investigators quickly recognize and categorize images, reduce the "noise," and focus their investigation. Image classification gives investigators the ability to find exactly what they need, whether it be photos of weapons used for hunting wildlife or a photo of endangered species.  

• Screenshot and Screen Recording Capabilities: Screen recordings and screenshots are great for mobile triage and act as visual evidence that can clearly represent the activities and content on an iOS or Android device. Screenshots capture text messages, social media posts, contacts, installed apps, and other digital content that may be important in a case. Screenshots and screen recordings are especially useful when investigators have to collect data from a suspect or victim's phone rapidly. Investigators can obtain messages of a sale or photos of wildlife without having to conduct a full acquisition, saving time and resources.
   

ADF’s Digital Evidence Investigator PRO Field Tablet is the perfect tool for all-in-one digital forensic triage solution for collecting digital evidence in cybercrime. It is built on a built on rugged and reliable Dell Latitude, making it perfect for use in the field by AWF investigators. 

In a scenario where AWF investigators are in the field with potential wildlife trafficking suspects, they can rely on the DEI PRO Field Tablet to obtain the evidence they need. Live Preview Mode allows them to access content immediately without waiting for a backup or imaging to finish. The DEI PRO Field Tablet can scan iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, and Windows devices, quickly collect digital evidence, and analyze it in a timeline view to tie the user to files and artifacts.

In this partnership between ADF Solutions and the African Wildlife Foundation, technology meets conservation in a game-changing alliance. Together, they strive to protect Africa's magnificent wildlife from the devastating grip of wildlife trafficking, ensuring that future generations can witness the beauty and wonder of Africa's natural heritage. Through their collaboration, they work tirelessly to conserve not only Africa's biodiversity but also the security and prosperity of this remarkable continent.