Headlines trumpeted the dire news: a new U.N. report says human beings have put one million species at risk of extinction within decades. They point the finger at five major culprits – habitat destruction, exploitation, invasive species, pollution, and climate change. Researchers at San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research are fighting back with what they call The Frozen Zoo. It’s a collection of frozen cell and tissue samples that might be used to bolster failing populations of endangered species. Oliver Ryder, director of conservation genetics, compares it to Noah’s Ark, updated with the knowledge and tools of modern genetics and genomics. “We know that we wouldn't be able to restore populations from two-by-twos,” he said. “But the idea of bridging between the present and the future, at a time when species are going to decline, that's very much in line with the biblical story.” At the heart of The Frozen Zoo has always been the idea of giving future conservation efforts
Headlines trumpeted the dire news: a new U.N. report says human beings have put one million species at risk of extinction within decades. They point the finger at five major culprits – habitat destruction, exploitation, invasive species, pollution, and climate change. Researchers at San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research are fighting back with what they call The Frozen Zoo. It’s a collection of frozen cell and tissue samples that might be used to bolster failing populations of