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Rwanda Tests Environmental DNA Technology in Volcanoes National Park
Researchers in Rwanda are using environmental DNA sampling to identify species in Volcanoes National Park. The method collects genetic material from soil and water to supplement existing monitoring techniques.
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Researchers in Rwanda have begun using environmental DNA technology to detect species in Volcanoes National Park. The approach collects genetic material left in soil and water by animals such as the endangered mountain gorilla. The technology was introduced by the African Wildlife Foundation in partnership with the Rwandan government.
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It is intended to create a comprehensive list of species in the country.
Biodiversity monitoring in the park has relied on camera traps and ranger observations. Steep ridges, dense vegetation, and insecurity in border areas limit the effectiveness of these methods. Patrick Nsabimana, the foundation’s country manager for Rwanda, said eDNA was selected to complement existing ecological monitoring.
He described it as a cost-effective approach for large ecosystems such as the Virunga mountains.
Deogratias Tuyisingize, a biodiversity researcher with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, said one sample can detect multiple species including mammals, birds, and amphibians. He noted that traditional methods alone left some species unrecorded. The technology cannot reliably estimate animal population sizes, and DNA can remain detectable after a species has left an area.
Initial samples were sent to Europe for analysis because local processing capacity is limited. Joshua Newton of Curtin University’s Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory and James Munyawera of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund identified additional challenges including cold storage requirements and incomplete African genetic reference libraries.
