Hope for Critically Endangered Condors through Parthenogenesis

For the critically endangered California condor, a recent discovery of a "virgin birth" may provide a new hope for the survival of their species. This incredible phenomenon was not witnessed, but rather discovered through regular genetic testing of captive birds. While the conservation geneticists at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance were conducting a genotypic survey, researchers discovered that two male chicks, hatched in both 2001 and 2009, were related to their mothers but did not contain any DNA from a father. This indicated that the California condor is capable of parthenogenesis, or reproduction from an ovum without fertilization. Their findings were unique not only because the chicks were fatherless, but also because the females did have access to a mate-- a first for any avian species.  The results of the study showed that the eggshell membranes of each bird had the male ZZ sex chromosomes, but "all markers were only inherited from their [mothers]." A total of 467 male condors within a breeding pool were tested to confirm this. 

This is an incredible find for researchers as they race to save the species from extinction. And while the parthonates (or offspring of the mothers) have since passed, this discovery may help biologists for decades to come. The California condor's numbers had dipped down to only 23 individuals by 1982 and all remaining individuals were placed into a captive breeding program by 1987. Since captive-bred condors were first reintroduced in 1992, their numbers have grown to 500. This is still far off from being a healthy population, but advancements in  research will help ensure the remaining birds continue to be genetically diverse and healthy 

California Condors Can Have 'Virgin Births' Founded by Study

 

    According to a study recently released, California condors, an endangered species, can have "Virgin Births".  Genetic testing from the researchers of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance revealed that two male chicks, hatched in 2001 and 2009 that were hatched from unfertilized eggs were closely related to their mothers, but neither was related to a male.  Researchers believe that this is the first case of asexual reproduction in avian species where the female had access to a mate, where this had only been recorded before in female birds that did not have access to a male bird.  This finding proposes questions, such as if this occurs in other birds as well, just going unnoticed.  California condors are the largest flying birds in North America, with a wing span up to 10 feet.  

    These California condors ranged from California to Florida, and also Western Canada to Northern Mexico, until around 1967, when the population decreased dramatically and the Federal Government declared the condors "endangered".   Only 23 California condors remained in the whole world by 1982, and in 1987, all of the remaining wild condors were placed into a captive breeding program to try and increase the population and escape from endangerment.  The population made a strong enough comeback that in 1992, they were starting to be released back into the wild.  This saved the species of the California condor, or else they would most likely be extinct today.  

    The species of the California Condor was saved by the government restoration tactics, and by their ability to reproduce asexually and bring more condors into the world.  

https://www.usnews.com/news/news/articles/2021-10-28/study-finds-california-condors-can-have-virgin-births

https://www.fws.gov/cno/es/calcondor/condor.cfm

Gene Drives Are To Risky for Field Trials, Scientists Say

Back in 2013, a technology called Crispr was developed and provided scientists with a new way to edit genes. Over at Harvard University a scientist named Kevin M. Esvelt suggested that this technology could be used to save endangered wildlife from extinction. In order to do so, they thought they could implant fertility reducing genes in invasive species of the same ecosystem as the endangered species. Implanting these genes is known as a "gene drive". The idea is that when these altered animals were released back into the wild, the gene to reduce fertility would spread and over generations would eventually make the population fall. After three years of research however, Dr. Esvelt feels that the method carried out in this fashion would not work out well simply due to the possible ramifications. A model created to see what would happen after the release of the gene showed that the altered genes might spread to other places where the species isn't actually invasive. The weasel pictured below for example is invasive to New Zealand and has destroyed native bird populations, but if it were given the gene transformation, it could eventually decimate its own native population where it came from. Dr. Esvelt still believes gene drives should be investigated to save threatened species but in a safer manner. Dr. Esvelt has been working on a gene drive that can self-destruct after a few generations. Some other researchers are also looking into building gene drives that are "tailored to invasive populations on islands but can't harm mainland relatives". Dr. Esvelt has also been investigating the use of gene drives to eradicate diseases as well. Projects such as this could be geared towards wiping out malaria carrying mosquitoes in Africa. In all I think this work has a promising future. With this much progress in just four years of the technology being invented, I believe there are so many directions this can be taken.   

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/16/science/gene-drives-crispr.html

https://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/47755/title/Using-Gene-Drives-to-Limit-the-Spread-of-Malaria/

A Very Mammoth Project

If movies like Jurassic Park have taught us anything, it’s that it is not a good idea to bring extinct animals back to life. However, an article was written about a project called “Woolly Mammoth Revival” led by Harvard geneticist George Church didn’t seem to get the hint. Research on de-extinction, the science of bringing extinct animals back to life, has been progressing significantly in recent years and the woolly mammoth may be the next animal to be brought back to life from extinction. Church’s work so far only focuses on single cells, but the team has been carefully placing mammoth genes into these cells belonging to their closest living relative, the Asian elephant. This will create a sort of hybrid animal that will be comprised mostly of Asian elephant DNA incorporated with mammoth DNA to give it the characteristics of a mammoth.

The rest of the article has a lot more information, more than most people will care to read, but over-all, while I do not agree with reviving the woolly mammoth, I do fully support the processes associated with this project because of the benefits these genetic techniques will have towards living endangered species. Using gene manipulation and “test tube” embryos, science has made great strides in conserving endangered species and further enhancement of such techniques will prove invaluable to these animals’ genetic diversity.

Big Cat DNA Is The Reason For Their Brink Of Extinction

Many "big cat" species of cheetahs, lions, tigers, and leopards have a conservation status of endangered all around the world. There are few of these big cat species or sub-species that are not at the very least vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List for Endangered Species. Scientists believe that their genetic make-up is to blame for these big cats on the bring of extinction. In a recent study done by a group of international researchers, the Amur leopard's entire genome sequence has been discovered giving insight on one of the most critically endangered of the big cats species. There are only forty Amur leopards left in the wild. This study of the Amur leopard's genome has led scientists to theorize that the reason behind the endangered conservation status of this species and so many other big scat species is due to their strict carnivore diet. Cats require the highest concentration of protein of any carnivore. They can not get their nutrients from plants, nor have their digestive systems ever adapted to process and digest plants. Their carnivore diet has led to much of their genetic code to change. Some of the changes are shortened digestive tracts, and digestive enzymes. Through evolution, big cats have become the most genetically optimized hunter. They have strong limbs, fast reflexes, night vision, flexible bodies, and the ability to run at high speeds. However, their genetic specialization has become a problem because it is too specialized to the point where it has become a disadvantage. According to the fossil record, specialization in carnivores has always led to shorter than normal extinction. Diet flexibility is important for an animal to have environmental adaptability. Herbivores and omnivores are able to change diets because their genes aren't as specialized as carnivores. Wildlife is diminishing on this Earth due to habitat destruction and pollution. When wildlife is at a rapid decline, big cats such as the Amur leopard do not have as many options for their prey anymore. Carnivores are at the top of the food chain which leads to smaller populations as well. Their specialized genes give them low genetic diversity and their small population sizes give them even more of a smaller gene pool. 

My favorite animals on Earth are all of the big ca variety. The realization that their carnivore diets have effected their genome sequence can possibly lead to realistic conservation solutions. Their specialized genes due to their diet and small population sizes have targeted them to only be able to live life a certain way that is not as possible because of humans effect on the earth. Humans are responsible for causing changes in the environment that hurt animals. However, with knowledge from this study and scientists working on using the information from the genome sequence there is a possibility that diet adaptability may be a conservational effort attempt in big cats. The genetic alterations of diet effects most of their genetic material. The most powerful animals on Earth are carnivores, but because of their inability to adapt, they are the most vulnerable in an ever-changing environment. I suppose the survival of the fittest is truly based on adaptability after all.

Sources:

Kim, Soonok, Yun Sung Cho, and Hak-Min Kim. "Comparison of Carnivore, Omnivore, and Herbivore Mammalian Genomes with a New Leopard Assembly." Genome Biology. BioMed Central, 2 Nov. 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. <https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-016-1071-4>. 

Linderman, Raymond. The Trophic-Dynamic Aspect of Ecology. 23rd ed. Vol. 4. Hoboken: Wiley, 1942. Print. 399-417. 

Nature Works. "Natural and Human Impacts on Wildlife." Nature Works. New Hampshire Public Television, 2016. Web. 23 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep16b.htm>. 

Wilkins, Alasdair. "Big Cats' Meat-Eating Diets Push Them To Brink Of Extinction." Vocativ Animal News. Vocativ, 02 Nov. 2016. Web. 23 Nov. 2016. <http://www.vocativ.com/372344/big-cats-meat-eating-diets-extinction/>. 

World Wildlife Fund. "Impact of Habitat Loss on Species." Species Threats. WWF, 2016. Web. 23 Nov. 2016. <http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/species/problems/habitat_loss_degradation/>.

Using Genetics to Save Dolphins

The Black Sea has a large market for illegal capture and trading of dolphins from poachers. Conservationists and regulators are considering using DNA tracking to fight the problem of illegal trafficking from places such as the Black Sea. The Ukrainian government is proposing at The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species that a DNA global database of all captive bottlenose dolphins with the intent this will prevent unlawful trading of the illegally caught dolphins to aquariums and zoos. This will prevent parks from substituting bottlenose dolphins that died in captivity and replacing them with a new, illegally caught and traded dolphin. Out of the estimated 1,000 dolphins that were traded illegally in the last fifteen years, approximately 1 in 10 of them came from the Black Sea. The idea of this global database is to be able to verify through DNA if the bottlenose dolphins were bred in captivity or taken from the wild, with further research if the ladder is found if they came from the Black Sea. The bottlenose dolphin of the Black Sea is listed as endangered, so marine conservationists believe this DNA registry will help to bring them back to a safer conservation status. This will go to a vote during the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to see if this is an economically plausible solution that is needed to take place.

I think the idea of a DNA registry to determine the legitimacy of a dolphin being bred in captivity or illegally caught, especially from an area where they are endangered is a practical and useful solution to the problem. This will not only defer illegal trading, but hold those accountable if they go against the registration system with the buyer and the seller of the illegally caught bottlenose dolphin. I am not a fan of zoos and aquariums because I think that captivity, for the most part, is an extremely cruel injustice on animals unless it is for conservation purposes. The bottlenose dolphin is one of the smartest animals on Earth other than humans, and to subject them for our whim and entertainment without cause in many zoos and aquariums is a disgusting industry. There are arguments for education purposes but I think that there comes a point when humans have to realize that we have no place in this world taking the lives of other living things for our own gain. A DNA registry would help us have more genetic information on dolphins as well, which could help with research and information in the future. Being able to tell by DNA that a dolphin is from the Black Sea will help conservation movements in that area to restore the conservation status of these creatures. Despite the CITIES secretary and the US Fish and Wildlife services in the article pre-maturely arguing against this genetic tracking, I think it is important for conservation purposes.

Sources:

Birkin, A. "Tursiops Truncatus Ssp. Ponticus." The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union of Conservation of Nature, 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/133714/0>. 

CITES. "What Is CITES?" Discover CITES. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <https://www.cites.org/eng/disc/what.php>. 

Kirby, David. "Taking the Genetic Fingerprint of Captive Dolphins to Save Wild Ones." TakePart: Environment. Participant Media, 3 Oct. 2016. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <http://www.takepart.com/article/2016/10/03/taking-genetic-fingerprint-captive-dolphins-save-wild-ones>. 

Whale and Dolphin Conservation. "ACCOBAMS." CMS Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea. WDC, 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <http://us.whales.org/wdc-in-action/accobams>. 

Whale and Dolphin Conservation. "How Intelligent Are Whales and Dolphins?" Dolphin Brain Power. WDC, 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <http://us.whales.org/whales-and-dolphins/brain-power>.

Saving The White Rhino

The White Rhinoceros is in immediate danger of going extinct.  There are only three individuals of this species left on the planet.  In an attempt to try and keep the white rhino from disappearing, scientists are working together and using cellular techniques to save them.  Of the existing rhinos, they are no longer able to breed naturally.   What these experts are doing is basically creating lab-grown embryos from frozen genetic tissue and harvesting them into surrogate mothers.  An issue could arise while trying to get the embryo harvested; considering no one has ever done it before and the rhino is said to have a highly convoluted and impenetrable cervix.

Some people are against this and think that more money should be used to prevent poachers from driving the animals to extinction.  That's a good idea, except this could lead to other possibilities of saving endangered species where preventing poachers isn't an issue.  Some people fail to take into account that they are driving other species to extinction, assuming they all have very large carbon footprints.  I personally am very excited to hear how this experiment goes.  It would be incredible to know they have the ability to save a species from extinction and also making advances in reproductive technology. So many other advances in science will be made possible if this works smoothly!