In January 2023, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and Stellenbosch University (SU) joined hands in establishing a molecular laboratory focused on applied conservation genetic research of threatened and endangered African wildlife.

The Applied Conservation Genetics Unit (ACGU), led by Prof Conrad Matthee (SU) and I, employs the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect organisms in the wild and metabarcoding approaches to identify species, and map distributions. Additionally, population genetic and genomic approaches are used to investigate effective population sizes, population stability, resilience and subpopulation connectivity.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material that organisms leave behind in their environment. This  DNA can be collected from environmental samples like water or soil, allowing the unit to detect species without capturing or disturbing them.

Traditional biodiversity assessments often rely on trapping, direct observation, or specialist field surveys. These methods can be time-consuming, costly, and limited in their ability to detect rare or cryptic species. eDNA has been gaining traction over the past few years as a powerful tool to deliver fast, non-invasive biodiversity insights, without disturbing wildlife. 

The ACGU has been employing this tool to detect the presence of elusive, rare, or threatened terrestrial wildlife, and to support broader biodiversity monitoring efforts. This advanced approach has proven useful in (a) detecting species even when there are no visible signs of their presence, (b) identifying multiple species from a single environmental sample, and (c) providing reliable biodiversity data across time and space.

Numerous projects have focused on targeted surveys for elusive or threatened species, including the “Elusive Eight” (Aardvark, Aardwolf, Brown Hyena, Riverine Rabbit, Cape Leopard, Cape Mountain Zebra, Karoo Dwarf Tortoise and Ludwig’s Bustard), subterranean golden moles, threatened tortoises and Cape Stag Beetles.

More recently, we have started to employ eDNA in biodiversity surveys across various remote, species-rich regions of Southern and East Africa. Biodiversity surveys are essential for conservation, especially in these remote regions where biodiversity baselines and species data are typically limited and, in many instances, absent. Given the lack of local expertise and the vastness of these African landscapes, conventional biodiversity surveys are often logistically complex, time-intensive, and taxonomically limited. eDNA offers a non-invasive way to rapidly identify and document species and capture a snapshot of biodiversity in a defined area.

The EWT has undertaken a number of Bioblitzes in a focused effort to provide a comprehensive snapshot of local biodiversity that can contribute to informed conservation strategies. A BioBlitz is an intensive, time-constrained biological survey involving eDNA approaches alongside traditional approaches with specialists and volunteers, in the systematic documentation of biodiversity. The eDNA data generated provides a foundation for mapping biodiversity hotspots, identifying conservation gaps, and supporting conservation strategies, and could even uncover species previously unknown to science.

An example of this is the rediscovery of the De Winton’s Golden Mole using eDNA in 2023. This elusive mole had not been seen for more than 80 years.

Through innovative genetic tools and collaborative conservation planning, fostering local stewardship of natural resources and strengthened local conservation capacity, the ACGU is transforming how threatened species are detected, monitored and protected in Southern Africa, and establishing baseline biodiversity data to address key gaps in biodiversity knowledge in various focal areas within and across Southern- and East Africa.

For more information on the projects being undertaken, visit: acgu.earth/projects