Abstract
Rhinoceros (rhinos) have suffered a dramatic increase in poaching over the past decade due to the growing demand for rhino horn products in Asia. One way to reverse this trend is to enhance enforcement and intelligence gathering tools used for species identification of horns, in particular making them fast, inexpensive and accurate. Traditionally, species identification tests are based on DNA sequence data, which, depending on laboratory resources, can be either time or cost prohibitive. This study presents a rapid rhino species identification test, utilizing species-specific primers within the cytochrome b gene multiplexed in a single reaction, with a presumptive species identification based on the length of the resultant amplicon. This multiplex PCR assay can provide a presumptive species identification result in less than 24 hours. Sequence-based definitive testing can be conducted if/when required (e.g. court purposes). This work also presents an actual casework scenario in which the presumptive test was successfully utlitised, in concert with sequence-based definitive testing. The test was carried out on seized suspected rhino horns tested at the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, the CITES mandated laboratory in Vietnam, a country that is known to be a major source of demand for rhino horns. This test represents the basis for which future ‘rapid species identification tests’ can be trialed.
Highlights
The illegal wildlife trade is a multi-billion dollar transnational industry that constitutes one of the top five forms of black market activities [1]
A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns
A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns details)
Summary
The illegal wildlife trade is a multi-billion dollar transnational industry that constitutes one of the top five forms of black market activities [1]. Wildlife forensics is an important tool for wildlife law enforcement and managing wildlife trade activities. DNA-based wildlife forensic science is an evolving discipline which combines techniques utilized by conservation genetics and human forensic science, and their application in the legal system [2]. A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns.
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