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Substantial molecular variation and low genetic structure in Kenya’s black rhinoceros: implications for conservation

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Abstract

Kenya’s black rhinoceros population declined by more than 98% from 20,000 individuals in the 1970s to around 400 individuals in 1990 due to the effects of poaching, at which time the surviving individuals were isolated in a series of demographically inviable subpopulations. An initial management exercise translocated the survivors into four high security sanctuaries to control poaching and enhance breeding, and this measure successfully arrested the decline. Subsequently, new sanctuaries were established and the metapopulation size reached 650 animals by 2008. However, translocations and the current management strategy that partitions the metapopulation into ‘montane’ and ‘lowland’ rhinoceros may have substantial consequences at the population level and their impact on population genetic diversity has not been investigated. In this study, 12 of the 16 extant subpopulations were analysed using 408 bp of mitochondrial control region sequence (n = 170) and nine microsatellite loci (n = 145). Both markers detected moderate to high genetic diversity (h = 0.78 ± 0.027, n = 170; HO = 0.70 ± 0.087, n = 145) consistent with previous studies on Diceros bicornis michaeli. However, mtDNA and nDNA diversity varied substantially between subpopulations. The results suggest that the Masai Mara is more differentiated, inbred and isolated than other subpopulations. It also suggests that there are neither distinct montane and lowland groups nor other detectable historical barriers to gene flow. Instead the large majority of genetic diversity was partitioned at the level of individuals; highlighting the need to conserve as many individuals as possible. Future translocations should consider the genetic profile of individuals and the demographic history of both the donor and recipient subpopulations.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the following Institutions: Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, Cardiff University and the Kenya Wildlife Service. We would like to specifically express our gratitude to Mireille Johnson-Bawe of Cardiff University, Antony Wandera and Patrick Omondi from Kenya Wildlife Service and Corynne Mulcahy and Lindsey Nielsen from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA. Kenya Wildlife Service (Export Permit No. 003105), CITES (Permit No. 304050/01), and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of UK (Licence No. PATH/22/2007/1) gave us permission to export and/or import black rhinoceros samples from Kenya to United Kingdom.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya

    S. M. Muya, A. W.-T. Muigai, Z. B. Osiemo & E. Mwachiro

  2. Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK

    M. W. Bruford & B. Goossens

  3. Rhino Programme, Kenya Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya

    B. Okita-Ouma

  4. c\o Sabah Wildlife Department, Danau Girang Field Centre, Wisma Muis, 88100, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

    B. Goossens

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  1. S. M. Muya
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Correspondence to S. M. Muya.

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Muya, S.M., Bruford, M.W., Muigai, A.WT. et al. Substantial molecular variation and low genetic structure in Kenya’s black rhinoceros: implications for conservation. Conserv Genet 12, 1575–1588 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-011-0256-3

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