The genetic sample verification of rhino horns that had been stacked up in various State government treasuries started a few days ago at the Forest Convention Centre in Kohora’s Mahi Miri Hall. The rhino horns’ genetic samples are being confirmed before being sent to the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, for genetic research, including DNA analysis. A committee within the State’s forest department has been formed, and its chairman is a senior forest officer. The group is composed of four unbiased observers, forest officials and staff, wildlife experts, scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India, and representatives of non-governmental organizations.
In order to evaluate the rhinos’ habitat status, genetic composition, DNA strands, and reproduction ability, Dehradun will obtain genetic samples from 2,479 rhino horn samples. Notably, on September 22, 2021, 2,479 rhino horns were set ablaze at Bokakhat in front of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. But before they were burned, samples of those horns had been collected and kept for scientific research in a number of treasuries under the supervision of the appropriate DFOs. Now, some of those samples have been collected and will be forwarded for examination to the Wildlife Institute of India.
