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A Mammoth Task: How Do We Decide Which Species to Resurrect?

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The resurrection of vanished species -- through cutting-edge technologies such as gene-editing -- should be targeted towards recently extinct species rather than ancient ones, according to a leading University of Otago conservation biologist.

In a guest editorial newly published online in the journal  Functional Ecology, Professor Philip Seddon of the University's Department of Zoology suggests that long-gone species such as the woolly mammoth would not be the best focus for de-extinction efforts.

Professor Seddon says the prospect of resurrecting species through cloning or genetic reconstruction through tools such as CRISPR gene-editing has caught the imagination of scientists and the public alike.

"However, while the idea of resurrecting mammoths, for example, might hold a 'wow-factor' appeal, efforts would likely be better directed instead towards species where the conservation benefits are clearer.

The woolly mammoth can theoretically be resurrected using samples taken from mummified remains preserved in permafrost

The woolly mammoth can theoretically be resurrected using samples taken from mummified remains preserved in permafrost (public domain)

"The ecological niches in which mammoths -- or moa for instance -- once lived, no longer exist in any meaningful way. If we were to bring such species back, apart from just as scientific curios, these animals would likely be inherently maladapted to our modern eco-systems."

Instead, using cloning techniques to re-establish 'proxies' of species that have recently become extinct should be the focus, along with determined efforts to prevent endangered species dying out in the first place, he says.

Scientists have said that the environment in which the moa (pictured) once lived no longer exists so it would be problematic to resurrect them

Scientists have said that the environment in which the moa (pictured) once lived no longer exists so it would be problematic to resurrect them (public domain)

"The money and considerable effort required to resurrect, reintroduce, and manage in the wild, viable populations of once-extinct species means there will inevitably be fewer resources available to manage threats facing the very many species that are currently at risk of dying out, but could still be saved."

Professor Seddon suggests that de-extinction projects will inevitably be pursued.

"The reality of the idea is too sexy to ignore, and it could be driven by aesthetic, commercial, scientific, or some other hitherto unanticipated imperatives and motivations," he suggests.

Commenting on the de-extinction papers appearing in the special issue of Functional Ecology, Professor Seddon concludes that there are two principal messages arising from the articles.

"The first is that the risks and the uncertainties involved will be hugely reduced, and hence the likelihood of achieving a conservation benefit from the production and release of resurrected species will be enhanced, if de-extinction candidates are drawn from the most recent extinctions.

If scientist decide to bring back a recently extinct species, they might select the Tasmanian Tiger

If scientist decide to bring back a recently extinct species, they might select the Tasmanian Tiger (public domain)

"Second, and perhaps most importantly, extinction of any species marks a significant threshold that once crossed, cannot be fully reversed, despite the apparent promise of powerful new technologies.

"Our primary conservation objective must therefore be, as it always has been, avoiding species loss, and one the most significant contributions to be made by 'de-extinction technology' might well be to prevent extinctions in the first place."

Top image: A woolly mammoth (CC by SA 2.0)

Source: University of Otago. "A mammoth task: How do we decide which species to resurrect?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 May 2017. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170516092615.htm

 

Comments

Ruthanns48's picture

Here’s a question:   WHY ?   Species go extinct for a reason !   If they HAVE to resurrect a species, what’s the point of bringing back one that will kill us ?    And these are supposedly intelligent people ?   Not so much !   Playing God isn’t really a good idea when you are NOT God.

Please, let's put on the big boy/big girl pants and resurrect Mammoths and other really extinct animals and really get average Joe's/Josephine's imaginations flowin'! I want to book a trip to Siberia to see Mammoths!
We'll shoehorn them in somewhere. We could board dinosaurs at Mar-a-Lago at government expense! Seriously, let's keep it interesting and not be so timid on the issue of resurrecting amazing species and where we can put them!

I totally agree! They should be concentrating on the animals and plants facing extinction now, and bring back the recently extinct, instead of species that no longer have a habitat to support them.

I think they should go to NORTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA to the historic park and take a look at what has been brought back from the past already,they have them all,including T-REX...and their going to turn them loose in america,and australia,won't that be fun,TO BE EATEN BY A T-REX..or VILORAFTER,and most americans don't even own a deer rifle....hahaha,good hunting with no gun...

I say bring back the T rex

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