Researchers analyse DNA from dung to save elephants

SAINYABULI, Laos: Slow and silent, former logging ele phant Mae Khoun Nung emerges from a forest in northern Laos and follows her guide to an animal hospital for a check-up. Once abundant in the forests of Laos, Asian ele phants like her have been dec imated by habitat destruction, gruelling labourin the logging industry, poaching and scarce breeding opportunities. But conservationists are hoping DNA analysis of ele phants´ dung will help them track both captive and wild tuskers, so they can secure a healthy genetic pool and craft an effective breeding plan to protect the species. Laos — once proudly known as “Lane Xang” or “Land of a Million Elephants” — has between 500 and 1,000 of the animals left, just one-third of the pop ulation two decades ago, ac cording to conservation group WWF-Laos. Around 10 ele phants die each yearfor every one to two born, a rate that puts the animals at risk of dying out completely in the Southeast Asian nation. “The ultimate goal would be to secure a healthy popula tion of captive elephants to act as a genetic reservoir if the wild population col lapses,” wildlife biologist An abel Lopez Perez told AFP at herlaboratory at the Elephant Conservation Center(ECC)in Sainyabuli province. Once re searchers learn how many in dividual elephants are in the country — by testing DNA containing cells in dung — Perez said a breeding plan will help them manage ge netic diversity, prevent in breeding and produce health ier calves.