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 pta2 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.