Sumatran Rhinoceros' Genome Decoded: Non-Potluck Post from Current Biology

A recent study published in the journal Current Biology reports the first fully sequenced genome of the Sumatran rhinoceros. Using this genetic information, the authors were able to trace the history of Sumatran rhinos throughout the Pleistocene and into the Holocene. During the Pleistocene, climatic changes limited the available habitat that Sumatran rhinos could occupy and thus is most likely responsible for the historical plunge in population in which the species still has not recovered from. Additionally, the available habitat in the Pleistocene lead to habitat fragmentation which limited gene flow within the species.

Today, less than 216 Sumatran rhinoceroses live in the wild, with individuals inhabiting only a small fraction of the rhinoceros' historical range. With this in mind, the authors argue that understanding the demographic history of this species may help place current population status within a broader ecological and evolutionary context and thus contribute to conservation efforts.

Current Biology article can be found here

Leanne Chambers

Second Current Biology Journal Update