International Science Community Association Research Journal of Recent Sciences 2277 - 2502 6 7 2017 06 2 Molecular markers based characterization and conservation of wild animals 53 62 EN Tamiru Sisay Misganaw 1 Department of Development and Environmental Management Studies, University of Gondar, PoBox 196, Gondar, Ethiopia Khuraijam Pushpa 1 Department of Extension Education and Communication and Research Centre, Smt. VHD Central Institute of Home Science (Autonomous), Seshadri Road, Bangalore-560 001, Karnataka, India R. Srilakshmi 2 Department of Extension Education and Communication and Research Centre, Smt. VHD Central Institute of Home Science (Autonomous), Seshadri Road, Bangalore-560 001, Karnataka, India H.S. Surendra 3 Department of Statistics, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560 065, India Shaikh Vasim R. 1 School of Chemical Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon-425001, India Hundiwale Dilip G. 2 School of Chemical Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon-425001, India Patil Kesharsingh J. 3 School of Chemical Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon-425001, India Bharda Sheetal 1 Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Junagadh Agricultural University, Veraval, Gujarat, India Desai A.Y. 2 College of Fisheries, Junagadh Agricultural University, Veraval, Gujarat, India Kumar P. Tandel Rutvik 3 Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Junagadh Agricultural University, Veraval, Gujarat, India Kumar T. Tandel Jitendra 4 Post Graduate Institute of Fisheries Education and Research, Kamdhenu University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India Singh Veerendra 1 ICAR- Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai-400061, Maharashtra, India and College of Fisheries, Junagadh Agricultural University, Veraval - 362 265, Gujarat, India A.W. Verla 1 Department of Chemistry, Imo state University, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria E.N. Verla 2 Department of Environmental Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria V.O. Nwaugo 3 Department of Environmental Resources and Technology, Abia State University, Nigeria K.E. Leizou 4 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Niger Delta University, Nigeria Asmelash Bruh 1 Animal Genetics Laboratory, School of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; Post Box: 138, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia Diriba Solomon 2 Animal Genetics Laboratory, School of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; Post Box: 138, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia Kumar Pal Sanjoy 3 School of Basic and Applied Sciences RNB Global University, Sri Ganganagar Road, Khara, Bikaner - 334601 Rajasthan > Review Paper 2017 5 13 2017 06 2 Simultaneous presence of various animal genetic resources in a given area or country is known as animal biodiversity. Africa has rich wildlife resources serving as a major tourist attraction. Wildlife biodiversity (WLBD) is an important asset for developing countries in uplifting their economy. Hence, characterization, conservation and maintenance of WLBD should be given top priority. Global climate change has resulted in the depletion of wildlife habitat and is responsible for extinction of many species. Characterization helps us to distinguish variation within and between different organisms and guide us for proper conservation of populations, species and or strains. Characterization can be done based on phenotype, biochemical polymorphism and molecular based markers. Molecular studies based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA are more popular as they save time, minimize long term investigation cost and are efficient in information generation. In this article, we reviewed the various molecular markers used in the characterization of wildlife, namely: Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP), Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP), Microsatellite and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). Copyright@ International Science Community Association