A recent article posted on Popular Science discusses the possibility of cloning the cells of a bucardo, an animal which is now extinct. In 2000, the last living bucardo, a Pyrenean sub-species of mountain goat, was killed by a falling tree. A batch of cells from the extinct animal has been frozen in liquid nitrogen. Recently, researchers have received funding in order to check whether or not the cells will be able to withstand being cloned. If scientists find that the cells can be cloned, they will created embryonic clones of the extinct animal’s cells and then implant them into female goats. The goats will then give birth to a new generation of bucardos. The article continues to explain how a previous attempt to clone the bucardo was both successful and unsuccessful. A viable bucardo clone was born in 2003, but despite this triumph, the animal died only a few minutes after it was born. While there is no set plan to definitely clone the cells of the bucardo, scientists are incredibly hopeful.
The last living bucardo was killed by a falling tree in 2000; many have referred to the failed cloning of the animal in 2003 "re-extinction"
Cloning is an extremely slippery slope; once we master cloning, we essentially become all-powerful. It is frightening to think what could happen if that power were to fall into the wrong hands. Although cloning is dangerous, it can be the answer to many problems faced by scientists. Not only would we have the power to bring back populations of animals that have gone extinct, but cloning also enables us to save those animals that are on the verge of extinction. Cloning can be used to either do a world of good, or the exact opposite. Cloning techniques are far from being perfected, but the science will definitely become a major area of discussion and research in years to come.
Cloning is both interesting and scary. I honestly feel as human beings we are not capable of being responsible if we find a way to master cloning. However, the concept is both interesting and hopeful because with cloning we can do so many positive things that can help the earth and humans - not just negative. The fact that it may be possible to bring an animal population back is remarkable.
ReplyDeleteCloning can be beneficial as long as humans actually don't try anything too drastic. It's one thing to bring back a species that existed along side us like goats or lorikeets, but it's only a matter of time before someone tries to make the movie Jurassic Park historically accurate.
ReplyDeleteIf they are inserting the an extinct's animals cells into a female goat of this century, how is it that she was able to produce a viable offspring? The fact that the offspring died only a few minutes after must mean something. Are their genetic makeup similar enough that the offspring is able undergo a successful embryonic development? And say that the offspring is able to live a full life. Who is to say that it will be able to reproduce at all? I think that there is a reason that it had become extinct. It obviously did not have the traits that could allow it a high level of fitness. Or something in the environment obviously threatened it. Who is it say that it can survive successfully in the wild today?
ReplyDeleteCloning is a very debatable topic on whether it is ethical. If cloning is perfected, we would be playing the role of the creator which then brings up the question on what cloning should be limited to or if it should even be limited. Bring back certain extinct species would be understandable in some circumstance but they still need to be carefully analyzed as to not disrupt other species once it is brought back.
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