Limited mitochondrial DNA variation within South Africa's black rhino (Diceros bicornis minor) population and implications for management

Abstract

AbstractThe taxonomy of African black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) remains unresolved. Maintaining levels of genetic diversity and species rescue by reintroduction and restocking requires its resolution. We compared the sequences of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region for a total of 101 D. bicornis from three subspecies: D. b. minor, D. b. michaeli and D. b. bicornis. A single unique haplotype was found within the 65 D. b. minor samples from KwaZulu‐Natal (KZN) Province, South Africa, 55 of which came from Hluhluwe‐iMfolozi Game Park (HiP) and Mkuzi Game Reserve (MGR) source populations. However, six different haplotypes were represented in eleven D. b. minor samples from Zimbabwe. Similarly, published autosomal microsatellite data indicate low levels of diversity within the KZN D. b. minor populations. The low levels of mtDNA diversity within the KZN metapopulation point to the possible need for genetic supplementation. However, there is a need to determine whether the low levels of genetic variation within KZN D. b. minor are a result of the recent bottleneck or whether KZN historically always had low diversity.