http://www.livescience.com/28123-iberian-lynx-eggs-collected.html
Scientists in various European institutions have successfully been able to collect and preserve the embryos of the world's most endangered cat, the Iberian Lynx. The total population of this species was estimated to be less than 200 a decade ago, and it has only fallen since then. Researchers have been working feverishly to find a solution to the growing problem of the lynx going extinct in the near future. After exhausting all other options of preservation, scientists were finally successful in extracting their embryos through female castration. The most likely step to be made after that is to implant the Iberian Lynx's embryos in a similar species acting as a surrogate, the Eurasian Lynx because so far nobody has been very successful in getting small populations of the Iberian Lynx to reproduce on their own. If they aren't quick and the lynxes go extinct, scientists believe this species' only hope may lay in cloning, a strategy last tried after the Pyrenean Ibex went extinct in 2000.
NOS Themes:
- Science is collaborative
- Science is based on evidence
- Role of credibility
The main question that comes up, is that are the lynxes unable to reproduce on their own, or is it too slow to offset the rate at which they die. If they managed to preserve an embryo than cloning is a very possible thing, and if a few are still alive their genetic material could be used to work out the kinks in cloning and lead to more technological advancements.
ReplyDeleteI can see why they are being preserved. Those are the coolest cats i have ever seen. The preserving of an embryo seems amazing. That is a huge scientific advancement. Just imagine what scientists will be able to do in 50 years
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that people are trying to preserve the lynxes by cloning them, but if the lynxes don't have an environment that they can thrive in and they won't reproduce at a fast enough rate by themselves, it seems like a lost cause to try to continue their species unless we can find somewhere that they won't be invasive and humans won't disturb them. If a place like that can be found, then the species can live on, but otherwise I can only see extinction for them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Austin. I don't see why we should clone them or try to preserve them if they cant survive on their own. If they cant reproduce now what will make them reproduce after we create a couple clones? I guess in 100 years or so or maybe sooner humans might find a way to become less invasive and give animals a fighting chance then it would be ok to clone the cat to re-start the population. But at the current time I think we would have to just continuously clone the cats to keep a population of them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Austin and Krishna. it seems pointless to try so hard to save a specie that cannot stay alive on its own in the wild. Its a great idea to clone and work with them in captivity, but perhaps not to release them into the wild until the environment is ready for them. It'd make no sense to let an animal go into the wild that was likely to die. It wouldn't be natural to pump an ecosystem up with an animal it cant support.
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