Sumatran Rhinoceros are Striving for Genetic Diversity Despite Extinction

The small-scale of inbreeding evidence found among the Sumatran rhinoceros kept people's hopes up, especially to conservationists who have high hopes in preserving their species.

The Sumatran rhinoceros are considered to be one of the most endangered mammals in the world, of no more than 100 counts in the wild. Inbreeding, as well as habitat fragmentation and mutational load are some of the common factors that causes extinction among these endangered mammals.

Genome Sequencing result shows Inbreeding Level surprisingly low

Scientists and researchers aspire to decrease mortality rate of the Sumatran rhinoceros' population. Due to decline in their population, researchers expected inbreeding to be prominent. In their surprise, the genome sequencing result showed low level of inbreeding among Sumatran rhinos and increase in their genetic diversity.

These species which were once widespread in Southeast Asia, are now reserved to small populations in Borneo and Sumatra.

Fortunately, despite the current decline of number among Sumatran rhinos, the Nature Communications confirmed with relief to find relatively low evidence of inbreeding among the remaining rhinoceros in Sumatra and Borneo.

In the conducted study, researchers analyzed 16 genomes from the restricted population in Sumatra and Borneo, as well as extinguished population on the Malay Peninsula. The goal is to investigate the genome sequences of the remaining population in these areas, which was then on revealed that the decline in Sumatra and Borneo did not highly affect their genetic diversity at all.

On the other hand, the Malay Peninsula population have gotten the opposite result.

Although the researchers expected a much higher inbreeding tendency for Sumatran rhinoceros due to their small population size, they considered the findings a 'good news' and unexpectedly good genetic health condition.

Moreover, researchers and conservationists hope that the fate of the Malaysian rhino's population will serve as a fair warning to what might become of the two remaining populations on Sumatra and Borneo.

Also read: Red-bellied Oxpeckers are Indeed Black Rhinos' Body-guards Against Humans

Preserving Genetic Diversity among Sumatran Rhinoceros

Aside from being endangered, rhinos contribute to the ecosystem by maintaining other animal and plant lives in conservation areas, keeping the ecosystem healthy.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the world's leading conservation organization, aimed to save declining populations of Sumatran rhinos by monitoring their distribution and population size and protecting their habitat. Engaging with government officials and partners also helps create a long-term recovery plan to save the rhinos.

In addition, researchers from Centre for Palaeogenetics suggested that the rhinos from Borneo and Sumatra could be transported to exchange genes and maintain genetic diversity.

They also considered artificial insemination to have given similar benefits. As for the possible risk of the genetic exchange, a comparison of genomes from these two islands did not prove harmful effects and no evidence of defect or abnormality in terms of adapting in new environment was established.

In a wider perspective and in these modern times, they also stressed out the importance of up-to-date genome-sequencing tool or technology to help expedite conservation efforts not just for the Sumatran Rhinoceros but also for endangered species around the world. Collaboration from researchers and experts among several different countries as well can make a difference and promote better conservation management.