RhoDIS India Programme:
A specialised team has initiated the genetic analysis of samples collected from 2,573 rhino horns and will add them to the RhoDIS India DNA data library.
- The Rhino DNA Index (RhoDIS) System is a wildlife forensics tool that was specially developed for investigating wildlife crime cases.
- In 2016, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India in partnership with Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the Forest Departments of Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh and WWF India launched this programme.
- The programme seeks to improve the crime investigations scientifically and provide technical support for the scientific management of India’s rhino population.
- The protocol standardised for the RhoDIS India analysis, approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, will be followed for creating the DNA profiles from these samples.
- RhODIS uses a DNA indexing system whereby genetic sequences are created to get a signature unique to each individual rhino
- It has proven to be a successful tool in aiding crime investigation and strengthening legal presentations.
