Rebirth of Tassie Tiger? Scientists plan to bring it back so we can kill it again
While many animal species in Australia are on the brink of extinction as a result of habitat loss, millions of dollars are proposed to be pumped into resurrecting a species that was exterminated years ago.
Scientists at the University of Melbourne say they may be able to bring the extinct Tasmanian Tiger back to life following a $5 million philanthropic gift. The Thylacine has been extinct since 1936,
The funding will allow the university to establish a "world-class research lab for de-extinction and marsupial conservation science". Specifically, The money will establish the Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research Lab to focus on : improving understanding of the thylacine genome; developing techniques to use marsupial stem cells to make an embryo; and then successfully transferring the embryo into a host surrogate uterus, such as a dunnart o Tasmanian devil.
A better move will be to protect remaining species like Dingoes, koalas and Lace Monitors. Thylacines were Australia's apex predator and in the wild would again face extermination. The only saving grace about this is that taxpayer funds are not being used directly in this academic extravaganza although the donors may get a big tax break.
Mad scientists are everywhere!
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