Your Daily Dose of Climate Hope: November 28, 2024
Baby black-footed ferrets!
With the birth of two black-footed ferret kits at the Smithsonian, a cloned endangered animal has produced healthy offspring for the first time in U.S. history.
Tell Congress to support genetic rescue conservation in America!
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Reasons For Hope
“Genetic rescue,” using biotechnology to bring back lost genetic diversity to endangered species, is an emerging multitool for wildlife conservation with the potential to help many treasured species survive the turbulent times of climate change.
The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), prairie dog predator of the American plains, was declared extinct in 1979. Then, one last wild population was discovered in 1981, eighteen last survivors were taken into captivity for a breeding program, and the current population of several hundred black-footed ferrets are all descendants of the seven among those 18 who had living offspring. Over the last few years, the genetic rescue conservationists at Revive & Restore have successfully cloned an eighth ferret, Willa (one of the original 18 who never had living offspring) from preserved tissue samples, instantly supercharging the genetic diversity of the entire species.
Now, one of the three Willa clones, Antonia, has birthed two black-footed ferret kits of her own at the Smithsonian, named Sibert and Red Cloud. This is the very first time in American history that a cloned endangered animal has produced healthy offspring; a rousing conservation victory and a proof-of-concept for genetic rescue. Truly spectacular work!
“This project represents a historic milestone in conservation history. For the first time, we can definitively say that cloning contributed meaningful genetic variation back into a breeding population.
As these kits move forward in the breeding program, the impact of this work will multiply, building a more robust and resilient population over time.
We are excited to have been a part of changing the future of this species!”
-Ryan Phelan, Revive & Restore
This landmark success for genetic rescue conservation was the product of long-term collaboration between multiple governmental and non-governmental organizations, including the Smithsonian and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Policy makers should know that their constituents support projects like this.
Tell Congress to support genetic rescue conservation in America!
In the wake of the election, state- and local-level climate action have become more important than ever. What better way to meet the moment than with an action party?
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