Guwahati: A specialised team has begun the genetic analysis of samples taken from 2,573 rhino horns that were part of a mass destruction initiative carried out by the Assam Forest Department in 2021.
The team, constituted by the State’s Chief Wildlife Warden, verified and repackaged the stored samples at Kaziranga from July 3 to 8. These samples have been prepared for transfer to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun, where DNA analysis will be conducted.
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A total of 2,623 rhino horns were verified and reconciled ahead of the 2021 destruction exercise. Of these, 2,479 horns were destroyed on September 22, 2021. Horns considered unique or linked to ongoing court cases were excluded from destruction.
During the reconciliation process, samples were collected from 2,573 horns for scientific study. Fifty horns currently involved in legal proceedings were not sampled.
Forest officials stated that the technical process of sample repackaging was recorded and monitored by independent experts. The samples will now undergo genetic analysis as part of the Rhino DNA Index System (RhoDIS) India programme, led by the Wildlife Institute of India.
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The analysis aims to establish DNA profiles for the horns and integrate them into the national RhoDIS DNA database. According to officials, the study will also help assess changes in short tandem repeat (STR) allele frequencies over time, which could provide insights into the genetic structure of rhino populations in Assam.
The RhoDIS India programme was launched in 2016 through a collaboration involving the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, rhino-bearing States, the WII, and WWF-India. It is intended to support wildlife crime investigations and inform conservation management practices using genetic tools.