Cloned Black-Footed Ferret
Feb. 22nd, 2021 04:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThe first clone of an endangered species is a black-footed ferret.
It's a valiant effort. However, it's not likely to save the species. Without diversity, they're doomed, even if living individuals remain. Really reviving the species would require increasing the diversity. That can be done by finding other sources of unrelated genes, or by artificially varying the available genes.
EDIT 2/23/21: Based on comments, I want to add that I find this advance useful but not sufficient in saving endangered species. Since the current population started with only 7 individuals, or 8 if we count the new clone, that's not enough for long-term survival. You'd have to get above the minimum viable population. This varies by species, and it is often set too low. (An exception is rabbits: they have repeatedly established viable populations from only 1 buck and 1 doe, or even just 1 pregnant doe.) A few people even think that trying to save endangered species is wrong.
It's a valiant effort. However, it's not likely to save the species. Without diversity, they're doomed, even if living individuals remain. Really reviving the species would require increasing the diversity. That can be done by finding other sources of unrelated genes, or by artificially varying the available genes.
EDIT 2/23/21: Based on comments, I want to add that I find this advance useful but not sufficient in saving endangered species. Since the current population started with only 7 individuals, or 8 if we count the new clone, that's not enough for long-term survival. You'd have to get above the minimum viable population. This varies by species, and it is often set too low. (An exception is rabbits: they have repeatedly established viable populations from only 1 buck and 1 doe, or even just 1 pregnant doe.) A few people even think that trying to save endangered species is wrong.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-22 11:10 pm (UTC)Cloning and IVF might also be a way to increase number of live births, especially if the surrogate is a common non-endangered species.
Resurrecting extinct species might not be an option now, but this may advance the relevent science a bit.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-22 11:47 pm (UTC)I would be happier if they had not Killed (not on purpose, of course) the First batch they caught..
The government Deliberately eliminated one whole bloodline of Mexican Wolves as "unpure"as well.
On the other hand, the Thylacine might Just have been caught on a trail cam!
Thoughts
Date: 2021-02-22 11:52 pm (UTC)Thylacines aren't seen unless they choose to be. ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-23 12:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-23 02:59 am (UTC)Actually, the process is more important than the species. The ferret was cloned from DNA that was over thirty years old and recovered from a preserved [ie freeze dried and mummified] specimen.
Previous clones have all used living or recently living tissue, not dead. This represents a significant step forward.
We have lots of frozen samples of other species, some of them still embedded in permafrost.
Heck, given the way tissue preserved in alcohol, not formaldehyde, retains the DNA intact, it's possible there's a long forgotten but intact sample of thylacine DNA in a dusty bottle in the basement of a museum somewhere in the world.
Thoughts
Date: 2021-02-23 10:14 am (UTC)Re: Thoughts
Date: 2021-02-24 01:09 am (UTC)Speaking of Thylacines, they might not be extinct after all.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2021-02-24 01:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2021-02-23 05:14 am (UTC)Thoughts
Date: 2021-02-23 08:48 am (UTC)