Scientists Race To Fill DNA Ark w. 10,000 Likely Doomed Species - Reuters

[hatrack]

LONDON - "Scientists are racing to set up a gene bank of the world's endangered animals, with thousands of species expected to become extinct within a generation due to climate change and habitat destruction. The plan, dubbed the Frozen Ark and announced on Tuesday, will run alongside a similar project to collect seeds from endangered plants run by Britain's Royal Botanical Gardens.

"Natural catastrophes apart, the current rate of animal loss is the greatest in the history of the earth and the fate of animal species is desperate," said Phil Rainbow, Keeper of Zoology at London's Natural History Museum.

EDIT

The Arabian oryx and the Socorro dove are among the 10,000 species of animals listed by the IUCN world conservation union as being likely to vanish over the next 30 years. Of these, some 33 species are already extinct in the wild, and nearly 1,000 are deemed to be critically endangered. Among the first species to enter the Frozen Ark will be the yellow seahorse, mountain chicken - which is actually a frog - the Seychelles Fregate Beetle and Polynesian tree snails.

Frozen Ark, which will hold samples of DNA and tissue at minus 80 Celsius, will save their genetic material for ever and give scientists an otherwise lost opportunity to study them. "This is not an attempt to recreate Jurassic Park, but we are going through a period of intense species loss and we don't know what effect this will have on biodiversity," said Frozen Ark's patron Crispin Tickell, a diplomat and environmentalist."

EDIT

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/26263/story.htm

[redqueen]

1. Oh how sad

but at least I learned some new things... like the fact that a mountain chicken is a type of frog... and that storing this stuff at -80 C will make it last forever... we hope.

:(

[blindpig]

2. I have problems with this

like I said in GD. What's the point if the habitat which the species has evolved for is gone? Zoo specimens & rich people's pets? The swine who are raping this planet will say, "Look, if we wipe them out we'll thaw some out later." BS.
The issue of genetic diversity is a concern. It's thought that a minimum of 50 breeders is required for a species to maintain enough diversity in the gene pool for long term survivial, and 500 is the safe number. There have been exceptions such as the Mauritis Kestral but those are special cases.
We need to slow and then reverse human population growth to allow all life on Earth to survive, not just us and our parasites. We must strive to preserve intact ecosystems on the off chance that we come to our senses and are willing to share the planet with lifeforms that are not of material benefit to us.
This is a cop-out.

[hatrack]

4. A grim necessity, but I see your point

Nice idea, saving DNA specimens and all that, but the whole thing kind of reminds me of a seed bank. Assuming that specimens can be maintained long-term, what conditions would a preserved species face upon reemergence - and of course this is assuming we'd have the skill and technology to revive or recreate any species from DNA remnants?

Aside from that, it's also a big leap to assume that (1) our civilization would be willing to think long-term enough to fund efforts like this for 50 or 75 years, let along for centuries. It's an even bigger leap to assume that 75, or 100 or 200 years from now, that conditions on Earth would be suitable for the revival and reintroduction of any of these species.

Fucking sad is what it is.

[realisticphish]

3. depressing

but a great idea, considering the alternative

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat