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Projects under Wildlife Genetics Programme, Aaranyak
Project 1: Noninvasive population genetic monitoring of Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) in Assam: A pilot study to standardize protocols for dung DNA analysis
PI: Udayan Borthakur, M.Sc.; Technical Adviser: Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Ph.D.
Funding Agency: Asian Rhino Project, Australia
This project (2008 – 2009), aims at using dung samples of Indian rhinoceros as a non-invasive source of DNA in undertaking population genetic studies on the species. As part of this project, we are trying to address certain technical issues involved with rhinoceros dung DNA analysis:
1. Quantitative evaluation of various preservation and DNA extraction methodologies for rhino dung collected from natural habitats of Assam as a source of DNA.
2. Selection of markers for gender differentiation of rhinos from dung DNA samples.
3. Selection of the minimum number of polymorphic microsatellite markers for rhino individual identification from dung samples.
4. Assessment of genotyping error from dung DNA samples.
Project 2: Population genetic monitoring of Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) in Assam – An evaluation of genetic diversity and population differentiation through noninvasive sampling
PI: Udayan Borthakur, M.Sc.; Co-Investigators: Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Ph.D.; Benoit Goossens, Ph.D.; Terri Roth, Ph.D.; Monica Stoops, Ph.D.
Funding agency: International Rhino Foundation
This multi-year project (2009 – 2011) aims at evaluating the spatial distribution of genetic diversity in the rhinoceros habitats of Assam, viz. Kaziranga National Park, Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, and to quantify the effect of habitat fragmentation and other geographic features as a barrier to gene flow among the existing populations/ subpopulations. The goals of this project are to:
1. Evaluate the contemporary extent of genetic diversity of the species in the protected areas (PAs) of Assam.
2. Evaluate the extent of population differentiation among the PAs of Assam
3. Evaluate the effect of habitat fragmentation and other geographic features as a barrier to gene flow among the PAs of Assam
4. Analysis of mating system through paternity and kinship analysis.
What we have achieved so far?
1. We have collected rhinoceros dung samples from Kaziranga National Park, Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam.
2. We have quantitatively evaluated the performance of rhinoceros dung preservation and DNA extraction methodologies (paper in communication)
3. We have developed multiplex PCR-based markers for gender identification from rhinoceros dung samples (paper in review)
4. We have optimized PCR amplification of 14 microsatellite markers from dung samples, to be used for rhinoceros individual identification and kinship studies (paper in preparation)
5. We have successfully PCR amplified 600 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA from dung DNA samples for DNA sequence analysis
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©AARANYAK 2009 To know more about this programme please contact Udayan Borthakar at Phone No. +919435728717
e-mail: udayan@aaranyak.org or udayan.borthakur@gmail.com