For the first time anywhere in the world, DNA evidence from an individual lion has been used to successfully prosecute poachers, marking a major breakthrough in wildlife crime enforcement.
Investigators were able to identify a specific lion from body parts recovered in a suspect’s village by matching them to a national DNA database in Zimbabwe. The male lion had previously been sampled while alive, when authorities took a blood sample during routine monitoring in Hwange National Park, where the animal was fitted with a radio tracking collar.
Two men were convicted and sentenced to prison over the 2024 killing, in what experts believe is the first prosecution of its kind to rely on individual lion DNA identification.
Until now, details of the convictions — and the role the DNA database played — had not been publicly disclosed. The information was shared with the BBC by TRAFFIC, a non-governmental organisation that works globally to combat the illegal wildlife trade.
In May 2024, park authorities in Hwange became concerned after the radio collar worn by the male lion suddenly stopped transmitting. Rangers and police tracked the animal’s last known location and discovered a snare nearby, with lion fur still attached.
Following the recovery of forensic evidence at the site, investigators questioned two men living in a nearby village. A search uncovered three sacks of meat, along with 16 lion claws and four teeth. Laboratory testing later confirmed that DNA from all of these body parts matched the profile of the missing lion.
Zimbabwe has spent years building a comprehensive DNA database covering its lion population. A laboratory run by the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust has been central to this effort.
However, possession of lion parts is not automatically illegal in Zimbabwe. Suspects have often claimed such items were inherited traditional ornaments or taken from animals that died naturally — explanations that have historically made prosecutions extremely difficult.
That barrier has now been broken.
Using advanced DNA profiling techniques, scientists generated genetic profiles from the recovered claws, teeth and meat. These were then compared with the DNA profile created earlier from the lion’s blood sample taken when it was collared. The profiles matched conclusively, allowing experts to identify the exact animal that had been killed.
Over the past eight years, the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust has received approximately £250,000 in funding from the UK-based People’s Postcode Lottery to establish and expand Zimbabwe’s national lion DNA database.
The scientist who carried out the DNA match requested anonymity due to safety concerns. He explained that, before the introduction of this technology, investigators could only confirm the species of seized wildlife products — not the individual animal.
“Species identification alone is sometimes not enough,” he said. “Now we can match those claws or those products to the exact lion we’re looking for.”
Within 10 days of the lion’s killing, the DNA evidence was presented in court. Both suspects pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 24 months in prison. The court was told the lion had an estimated value of $20,000.
Richard Scobey, executive director of TRAFFIC, said the case demonstrates how countries now have the forensic tools to present solid, science-based evidence in wildlife crime prosecutions — a development he said could have global implications.
Lion body parts are increasingly trafficked for multiple markets. Bones are sold for use in traditional Chinese medicine, while teeth and claws are often fashioned into jewellery.
This case is believed to be the first time DNA from an individual lion has been conclusively identified and used to secure convictions.
Professor Rob Ogden, who played a key role in establishing the project and is a co-founder of TRACE, said the prosecution sends “a message of hope”.
He added that it shows what can be achieved through sustained investment in training, research, development and forensic casework.
Recent data suggests an increase in the killing of lions for their body parts, which are sold both as cultural artefacts in parts of Africa and into international illegal markets. Conservationists believe the rise may be linked to organised criminal networks already involved in trafficking rhino horn and ivory.
Between 2010 and 2023, at least 426 lions were killed in Mozambique due to interactions with humans, with roughly a quarter of those deaths linked to deliberate poaching.
The scale of the trade is also reflected in law enforcement seizures. In 2021, authorities in Lusaka intercepted 17 lion skulls reportedly being transported from South Africa. In 2023, more than 300kg of lion body parts were seized in Maputo.
For conservationists and investigators, the successful use of DNA to identify and prosecute the killing of a single lion is now seen as a powerful warning to would-be poachers — and a turning point in the global fight against wildlife crime.
