:: WILDLIFE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE CENTRE

An original and unique TLLF project dedicated to Biomaterial Banking For Now And The Future

The Wildlife Biological Resource Centre (wBRC), together with its partners in BioBank SA, have created a Biological Resource Bank that is dedicated to providing biomaterials that are viable, diverse and representative of southern Africa’s wildlife populations. Various types of tissue, including embryos, fibroblasts (cells), blood, sperm, tissue samples, hair, egg shells, etc. are banked in the Tissue and Cryobank at the wBRC and made available to a multidisciplinary regional and international audience for research, management and the conservation of wildlife and indigenous livestock species.

Biomaterials underpin the Life Sciences, Genomics and Biodiversity conservation. Samples, such as tissue or cells are used for genetic studies, such as speciation, determining the inbreeding status within a population, forensics studies related to poaching or illegal wildlife possession. In order to insure access and benefit sharing to the people of South Africa, samples are only made available to third parties with prior consent from the owner and the signing of a customised Material Transfer Agreement.

The wBRC, in consultation with its stakeholders has created a Species Priority list, based on the Red List Criteria of the IUCN, economic value, genetic management priority, practicality and research necessity. Training of staff from national and provincial game Reserves, zoological Gardens, animal breeders and laboratories is carried out on a regular basis, with the aim of securing known good quality and therefore useful biomaterials. Sampling kits are made available to persons tasked with the collection of wildlife biomaterials. Biobank SA, a network organisation of tissue bank partners, has been established to secure Southern Africa’s genetic resources and coordinate the management and use of wildlife and indigenous livestock biomaterials in South Africa. BioBank SA acts as an integrated resource centre linking partner collections and providing information on banked samples.

Through the dedicated support of the TLLF, current wildlife biological banks in southern Africa will be secured to the benefit of southern Africa and its people. The collecting and banking of wildlife biomaterials will assist in securing the future of Biodiversity in Southern Africa.

WBRC Contact details:
Dr Paul Bartels.
Office: (012) 305-5840
All Hours Biomaterial collection Helpline: 082 9944 388
E-mail: info@wbrc.org.za & paulb@wbrc.org.za

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