Guwahati, July 12 -- A specialised team has begun the genetic analysis of samples taken from 2,573 rhino horns that were part of a mass destruction initiative carried out by the Assam Forest Department in 2021.

The team, constituted by the State's Chief Wildlife Warden, verified and repackaged the stored samples at Kaziranga from July 3 to 8. These samples have been prepared for transfer to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun, where DNA analysis will be conducted.

A total of 2,623 rhino horns were verified and reconciled ahead of the 2021 destruction exercise. Of these, 2,479 horns were destroyed on September 22, 2021. Horns considered unique or linked to ongoing court cases were excluded from destruction.

During the reco...