Award-winning photographs highlight the forensic hunt for wildlife criminals | CNN

Award-winning photographs are spotlighting the forensic hunt for wildlife criminals as part of CNN’s Earth Photo 2026 Awards. Photojournalist Britta Jaschinski, a UK-based German photographer, won top prize for a portfolio documenting wildlife crime units operating across the UK and Europe, using techniques both new and traditional. Her series includes stark evidence items such as a stuffed lion’s head, a bottle opener made from a lion’s paw, reptile skins, an elephant’s foot and ivory. One standout image features a dead green sea turtle with a handprint revealed using special powder dye applied by a forensic expert, illustrating how forensic methods can add deterrence to trafficking networks. Jaschinski’s work also highlights the Wildlife Crime Lab at the Institute of Zoology, part of the Zoological Society of London. The lab says research shows new-generation powders can recover quality fingerprints from 70% of tested specimens and can recover DNA left by handlers. The initiative is backed by Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative in partnership with CNN.