The Balance of Protecting Genetic Conservation and Legal Ownership: A Perspective Through Wildlife DNA

This research investigates the complex relationship between genetic conservation and legal ownership of wildlife DNA, which is a key issue at the nexus of biodiversity conservation, intellectual property rights, and ethical governance. Wildlife DNA is extremely valuable for conservation biology, allowing attempts to restore genetic variety, improve endangered populations, and better understand ecological dynamics. However, the legal framework protecting wildlife DNA is complex, with overlapping national and international restrictions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Nagoya Protocol, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). These frameworks seek to resolve access, ownership, and benefit-sharing issues surrounding genetic resources, but they frequently leave ambiguities that jeopardize both conservation efforts and indigenous rights.