Feather Detective (2016)
5 days ago
- #wildlife conservation
- #forensic ornithology
- #bird trafficking
- Pepper Trail is the world's leading criminal forensic ornithologist, identifying bird species from feathers, claws, or meat.
- He has assisted in hundreds of investigations and testified in federal court 15 times over 18 years.
- Trail maintains a 'death list' of 750 bird species he has identified from carcasses.
- His work helps determine legal violations involving protected bird species.
- Trail's lab handles over 100 cases annually, involving more than 1,000 pieces of evidence.
- He has identified birds from oil sludge, wind turbine collisions, and smuggled artifacts.
- In 2013, Trail received 43 dried hummingbirds used in love charms, suspecting they were squeezed to death.
- The hummingbird trade is linked to Mexican botánicas, with cultural roots in Aztec spirituality.
- Trail collaborates with Mexican ornithologists to address the conservation impact of the hummingbird trade.
- He developed the Feather Atlas, an online database with 360 species and 1.5 million annual visits.
- Trail plans to retire but hopes to train a successor to continue his critical work.