(by 15 people)
Cloning the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger
Geneticists have cloned sheep, horses, cats and dogs. The next step it seems is to bring back the dead. Scientists are currently working on resurrecting through cloning an animal extinct since 1936. The Australian Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, was hunted to extinction 72 years ago, but now geneticists think they can bring back the fierce predator using DNA from stuffed museum specimens.
"Bringing back an extinct creature would unlock the door to progress.
Who knows what other 'impossible' things may be on the other side?"
~Michael Archer
Cloning Project Background
The project is headed by evolutionary biologist Michael Archer, dean of science at the University of New South Wales in Australia. In collaboration with colleagues at Australian universities and U.S. genetics labs, Archer hoped to bring this carnivourous marsupial back from extinction using DNA from an infant female preserved in alcohol since 1866.Part of the difficulty lies in restoring the degraded DNA, in fact Archer's first team failed to extract quality DNA from the infant female and the project was scrapped in February 2005. But with a new team, new technology and a new strategy to recover genes from the bones and teeth of thylacines in museum specimens the project was revived again in October 2005.
If Archer's new team can figure out how to restore degraded DNA there is a chance the Tasmanian tiger could live again. What's next...the Woolly Mammoth? Actually that's not so far fetched...in fact there are projects underway to clone the mammoth as well as the Spanish bucardo goat.
How to Clone an Extinct Animal
- Obtain Sample DNA:
Find cells from the animal's tissue, bones, teeth, hair, etc.. Then extract the DNA from the cell's nucleus. - Rebuild Genome:
Reassemble the DNA of the extinct animal using the genome of a related living animal as a guide. In the tiger's case that is the Tasmanian devil. - Swap DNA:
Remove the ovarian eggs of the related animal and replace their nuclei with the restored genetic material from the extinct animal. - Zap the Eggs:
Fuse the nuclei with the eggs and trigger cell devision by shocking them with electric current or treating them with chemicals. - Implant the Embryos:
When the embyos have grown to 200 cells in size transfer them into the womb of the related animal for gestation. - Delivery:
The surrogate mother gives birth. The extinct species is reborn once again. It is scientists hope that the necessary survival skills will be coded into its genes.
Further Reading About the Tasmanian Tiger
Tasmanian Tiger: The Tragic Tale of How the World Lost Its Most Mysterious Predator
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Woolly Mammoth: Back Again?
Jarkov mammoth may be the key
In 1999, French polar explorer Bernard Buigues and mammoth experts Dick Mol and Larry Agenbroad unearthed a 23,000 pound block of permafrost containing the remains of a woolly mammoth near the Bolchaya Balakhnya River in Siberia.Scientists were hopeful that the block of frozen earth would yield an intact mammoth carcass. The possibility led a number of genetic research facilities around the world to propose extracting DNA from the soft tissues of the extinct creature with the goal of cloning it back to life.
Unfortunately for those scientists interested in cloning the mammoth there was very little soft tissue and bone remaining. As in the case of the Tasmanian tiger there was just too little quality DNA to give cloning much of a chance.
But if scientists can discover a technique to restore degraded DNA the first major hurdle in cloning the mammoth will be overcome. That would just leave several other unknown factors including the gestation period of the mammoth. Will it match that of the Asian elephant, the mammoth's closest living relative? Not to mention there is a bit of a size difference between the woolly mammoth and the Asian elephant; what kind of problems will this cause for the surrogate mother?
All in all the odds are currently stacked against a successful clone, but with the ever expanding developments in genetics some day in the next 20-30 years there might just be woolly mammoth rides at your local zoo.
Woolly Mammoth Fact and Fiction
More info on the woolly mammoth for your reading pleasure
America's Horrible Histories #01: Who Are You Calling A Woolly Mammoth (America's Funny But True History)
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Uncovering the Mysterious Woolly Mammoth
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Meet the Woolly Mammoth (Word Play/Juego Con Palabras)
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What should we do about cloning?
With each breakthrough in cloning research comes increased controversy. Should we be messing with nature? On one hand there may be a great number of discoveries that lead to better health or the preservation of endangered species, on the other hand there is a great moral dilemma involved when anyone mentions human cloning.
Join the Cloning Debate
Let the battle begin!
Since I've created this little page on cloning extinct animals I've had some comments from several people voicing their opinion on the merits or morals of cloning. And the above poll results show that not everyone is very keen on the idea of cloning especially when it involves human cloning.
So let's start a little debate so all voices can be heard. Is cloning the future and will it lead to many improvements in life? Or, is cloning something better left alone, something that may lead to the end of humans on earth?
How do you feel about cloning?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byCloning is the future deal with it!
Zastiltitala says:
I think that cloning is a controversial idea. There, in my persoal opioin, is nothing wrong with cloning. But what rights would the clone have? Cloning has been sucessful with lower speiecs, but should we go into humans. We must consider if the clone would be considered an indiviual. Would it have rights? Could it vote? Would it ever be considered more than an "it"? Would the prospect of being a clone drive it mad, segragate it from the general public, or create a whole new speices enterly? How would it be raised? What if it found out? Would it be hailed, or regected? Who would know?
Posted October 03, 2008
kab says:
I have no problem with using cloning to try to bring back a species that recently went extinct, or is nearly extinct - however bringing back an animal that has been gone for centuries could be dangerous. It may now have no natural preditors and an introduction of a new species into any ecology system could just throw it off. As for humans...no! We have enough procreating as it is!
Posted July 25, 2008
Scrawny says:
Cloning will have a huge impact on the preservation of endangered and possibly extinct species, Humans are like a virus we deystroy the area around us and move on. Humans have been on the earth for 40,000 years and we have already posed a threat to the planet, but no other species have deystroyed as much of the planet as us. I see the point in bringing back extinct species and preserving endangered to make up for the many species humans have brought to extinction, but why bring back more humans? theres all ready 6 billion on the planet; why bring back more? But Im merely 14, my opinion doesent matter.
Posted July 25, 2008
lali says:
that if we clone we are going to be messing whith the worlds rules it might not be suttable for us to do that beacause of that reason
Posted June 04, 2008
Liquid Ocelot says:
"This is the liberty we've won ourselves....Outer Haven"
Posted May 26, 2008
Cloning is an unnatural abomination!
Fred Bojangles says:
Cloning I think is a bad idea. You can't make me believe that cloning is a good idea because we can bring back extinct animals. That would just be dangerous because more in likely, they would eat us, for the fact that they have no natural food that they would normally eat. Also, what happens when some brain surgeon decides to clone Adolf hitler or Charles Manson? Exactly, the world's end. We also have other problems including poverty problems, foreclosure issues, and the research that needs to be made for cancer and otherdiseases. Wasting money on cloning is not worth it!!!!
Posted August 29, 2008
DaileyEscapes says:
I think cloning would be in order to come up with cures for diseases. However, since I feel that it would be abused, I think that it should not be allowed. Humans only find a way to mess it up.
Posted July 25, 2008
Dr. Mohinder Suresh says:
WHATS THE POINT OF CLONING!!!
Posted July 24, 2008
Dr. Mohinder Suresh says:
That idea is stupid. WE SHOULD MESS WITH THE PAST AND THE NAUTURAL WAY OF THINGS!
Posted July 24, 2008
discoverqa says:
by Cloning, we are somehow putting God in our own hands, we are playing God in re birthing the animals he created and died out. By Cloning extinct species, we are opening doors to new infectious and deadly diseases, may cause the decline of our own species homosapiens and we have not got the evironmnets of the past animals discovered or intact.
Posted July 14, 2008
Links for More Info
Tasmanian Tigers and Woolly Mammoths galore!
- Tasmanian Tiger Cloning Breakthrough
- An article from the Australian Museum Online written in 2002 about Micheal Archer's Tasmanian Tiger cloning project.
- Tasmanian Tiger Sightings
- Just like stories of the Loch Ness monster or Big Foot, the thought to be extinct Tasmanian tiger enjoys similar notoriety in Australia. Here are several articles of Tasmanian tiger sightings, as well as more articles on the cloning efforts.
- A Natural History of the Tasmanian Tiger
- The online Thylacine Museum, an educational guide to the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger. Tons of information covering virtually all aspects of the natural history of this unique Australian marsupial. A very comprehensive resource for those interested in the Tasmanian tiger.
- Will the Mammoth Walk Again?
- A Discovery Channel article about the discovery of the Jarkov mammoth and attempts to clone it.
- Mammoth Cloning
- An article stating some background on the woolly mammoth as well as the difficulties involved with cloning one.
Recombinant DNA Magazine - Cloning
The premier magazine for geneticists
Recombinant DNA - Gene Cloning & Sequencing
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A Lens of the Day Selection
9/28/06
A Thank you to the fine people of Squidoo for choosing this lens as Lens of the Day on September 28th 2006. And to the many readers who have graced this lens with their curiosity - may you all be cloned and visit again, and again. Reader Feedback
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Margaret_Schaut
I'm featuring your page on Squidoo-It-All! Great page! Posted October 19, 2007 |
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DogWhisperWoman
5* for effort. However, cloning is only a partial copy of another's great invention. It is not impressive and only creates false hope and other serious problems. Dog Whisper Woman Posted October 05, 2007 |
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Gatsby
5* For your persentation, but colning is a bad idea. Dog Whisper With Rena Posted October 05, 2007 |
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surfsusan
Fine lens. Posted June 06, 2007 |
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MrLewisSmile
Great lens! Posted November 04, 2006 |
