Endangered Species Cloned back from Brink (with Kitty Pics) - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Astrocloud · 08-23-2005, 01:05 PM

http://www.physorg.com/news5939.html

Quote:

For the first time ever, two unrelated clones of a wild species have bred naturally to produce healthy babies. Unrelated endangered African wildcat clones have given birth to a total of eight babies. These births advance the science of high-tech reproduction for endangered species by confirming that clones of wild animals can breed naturally, making critically important contributions to shrinking gene pools of animals on the brink of extinction.

Two litters of kittens produced by natural breeding of cloned African wildcats have been born at Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species. The first five kittens were born on July 26, 2005 to the African wildcat Madge, who is a clone of the wildcat Nancy. The second litter, consisting of three kittens, was born on August 2 to the African wildcat Caty, also a clone of the wildcat Nancy. The father of both litters is Ditteaux, a clone of the African wildcat Jazz. Jazz made headlines when he was born as the result of transfer of cryopreserved (“frozen”) embryos to a domestic cat.

The successful experiment, unveiled by the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species in New Orleans, Louisiana, over the weekend, appeared to open the way to bringing severely endangered species back from the brink of extinction, scientists said.

But it also raised the question if Jurassic Park, a fictional nature preserve teaming with cloned dinosaurs and velociraptors invented by popular novelist Michael Crichton and popularized in a blockbuster 1993 movie, was getting closer to becoming a reality.

"The science which produced these beautiful kittens is nothing short of wondrous," commented Ron Forman, president and chief executive of the Audubon Nature Institute. "We are thrilled to play a part in a scientific journey holding such enormous potential for the world's animals."

Scientists said the newly-born kittens will be shown to the public at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans later on this year.

But they will be returned to the research center for more study as they grow up and start displaying their mature wildcat instincts.

I not only see this as a way of saving endagered species. I see it as an excuse to post pictures of adorable kitties. Also I want some for my private zoo.

BigBen · 08-23-2005, 01:25 PM

Notice that the endangered Sea Slug was not the first animal on the "To Clone" list.

Scientists can be as discriminating and shallow as anyone else.

Where are the equality fanatics now? OOOhhhh, I get it, since the kittens are cute, they get to be cloned. What about my slug?

There are toads out in the rainforest that sweat the cure for cancer, and are endangered. Not too pleasing on the photo-op though.

I am disgusted by this animal BEAUTY CONTEST. I DEMAND THESE "CUTE KITTENS" BE FED TO A CLONED UGLY ANIMAL THAT ENJOYS FRESH MEAT!

bobillydylan · 08-23-2005, 02:06 PM

Well im with Astrocloud they are cute kittens

even if they have been cloned!

tecoyah · 08-23-2005, 02:24 PM

PR man.....Lots and Lots of PR

Elphaba · 08-23-2005, 02:33 PM

Kitties grow up to be cats. Now that cloned puppy was adorable.

Nisses · 08-24-2005, 05:55 AM

Hear hear!
More cloned kittens, more I say.

My bugblatterbeast is hungry!

Astrocloud · 08-24-2005, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBen931

What about my slug?

Do you have pictures of your slug?

raveneye · 08-24-2005, 09:42 AM

In the interests of equal time for sea slugs:

I haven't seen a sea slug yet that wasn't worth cloning . . . .

(Not to slight the kitties in any way whatsoever)

Glava · 08-24-2005, 10:27 AM

The "African wildcat" is the same species as the domestic cats that we know and love. The cloning thingamajigger is impressive, though.

analog · 08-26-2005, 01:03 PM

I don't see the point of the cloning shenanigans that are going on... was this a species we screwed over through deforestation, did we develop parts of their territories into condos, Starbucks, and Walmarts? If not:

I see no reason to "save" this, or any, species from extinction. Scientists are fucking with the natural order of things. It's all well and good to want to "save" a dying species, but there's a reason they're dying off, it's natural selection. Their time has come. If you save every dying species through the rest of time, you'll have way too many of everything, and you'll fuck up the inherent equilibrium that exists in nature. This equilibrium exists and manifests itself through the evolution and extinction of certain species.

Things need to be allowed to die when it is their time. This is not analogous to saving a dying patient in a hospital- we're dealing with a species, not one specific entity. In the continuing process that is the evolution of the animal species of the world, nothing is meant to persist. You evolve into a form, and then you either evolve into something else, or you DIE. You do not get a ticket for a free clone and a species-booster-shot. A large portion of the giraffe population of the world (a long time ago) used to have short necks. Slowly, those with the longer necks reproduced more and the gene trait for it became more dominant, simply because the short-necked giraffes could not find enough to eat- they couldn't reach the high leaves the long-necked giraffes could. Natural selection. Today, there are no short-necked giraffes. Sometimes science really pisses me off with their insistance to make everything under the sun immortal. It's not the way it's supposed to be... and none of us will be around to see the consequences, but they can be profound and irreversible.

I want someone to let a boa constrictor loose in the wildcat cage, give everyone a lesson in the food chain and the natural order of life.

ChistledStone · 08-27-2005, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by analog

I don't see the point of the cloning shenanigans that are going on... was this a species we screwed over through deforestation, did we develop parts of their territories into condos, Starbucks, and Walmarts? If not:

I see no reason to "save" this, or any, species from extinction. Scientists are fucking with the natural order of things. It's all well and good to want to "save" a dying species, but there's a reason they're dying off, it's natural selection. Their time has come. If you save every dying species through the rest of time, you'll have way too many of everything, and you'll fuck up the inherent equilibrium that exists in nature. This equilibrium exists and manifests itself through the evolution and extinction of certain species.

Things need to be allowed to die when it is their time. This is not analogous to saving a dying patient in a hospital- we're dealing with a species, not one specific entity. In the continuing process that is the evolution of the animal species of the world, nothing is meant to persist. You evolve into a form, and then you either evolve into something else, or you DIE. You do not get a ticket for a free clone and a species-booster-shot. A large portion of the giraffe population of the world (a long time ago) used to have short necks. Slowly, those with the longer necks reproduced more and the gene trait for it became more dominant, simply because the short-necked giraffes could not find enough to eat- they couldn't reach the high leaves the long-necked giraffes could. Natural selection. Today, there are no short-necked giraffes. Sometimes science really pisses me off with their insistance to make everything under the sun immortal. It's not the way it's supposed to be... and none of us will be around to see the consequences, but they can be profound and irreversible.

I want someone to let a boa constrictor loose in the wildcat cage, give everyone a lesson in the food chain and the natural order of life.

Finally someone doesn't pussy-foot around it.

We're on the top of the food chain. Life will grow back. And then we'll kill ourselves out and another race will take over.

Circle of life, to quote Lion King.

Zeraph · 08-27-2005, 11:18 AM

sea slugs are cool, cloning for all! except the dutch, and racists.

Zeraph · 08-27-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChistledStone

Finally someone doesn't pussy-foot around it.

We're on the top of the food chain. Life will grow back. And then we'll kill ourselves out and another race will take over.

Circle of life, to quote Lion King.

We are responsible for a lot of extinctions, and no Im not even talking about pollution or even deforrestation (even tho both problems.) Thing is we have a lot of transportation now going on all over the world, a lot of species get transfered to different continents. What happens is one species will wipe out another, when arriving in a new place, like a certain type of plant in hawaii. Thing is, that particular plant doesn't have very deep roots, so it covers the area, killing off all the deep rooted plants (like a weed) which increases mudslides, which make the land very barren. So it ends up killing off everything. This transportation thing makes it so that the world becomes more like a single continent and single continents can't support as much life diversity as multiple ones, which means like the above plant example it makes it so that one weakness is more prevalent, and as soon as something bad happens that uses that weakness (like sudden heavy rainfall) bye bye all and mass extinction.

Ok so maybe that wasn't crystal clear, but I don't claim to study this stuff in depth, look it up yourselves if ya dont believe me.

Anyways, point is, diversity = greater chance of survival and we need to save as many species as possible.

08-23-2005, 01:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
BigBen Comedian Location: Use the search button	Notice that the endangered Sea Slug was not the first animal on the "To Clone" list. Scientists can be as discriminating and shallow as anyone else. Where are the equality fanatics now? OOOhhhh, I get it, since the kittens are cute, they get to be cloned. What about my slug? There are toads out in the rainforest that sweat the cure for cancer, and are endangered. Not too pleasing on the photo-op though. I am disgusted by this animal BEAUTY CONTEST. I DEMAND THESE "CUTE KITTENS" BE FED TO A CLONED UGLY ANIMAL THAT ENJOYS FRESH MEAT! __________________ 3.141592654 Hey, if you are impressed with my memorizing pi to 10 digits, you should see the size of my penis.

08-23-2005, 02:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
bobillydylan Tilted Location: uk	Well im with Astrocloud they are cute kittens even if they have been cloned! __________________ Yes and only if my own true love was waiting, And i could hear her heart a softly pounding, Yes and only if she was lying by me! Then i would lie in my bed once again.

08-23-2005, 02:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
tecoyah Illusionary	PR man.....Lots and Lots of PR __________________ Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

08-24-2005, 05:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
Nisses Shade Location: Belgium	Hear hear! More cloned kittens, more I say. My bugblatterbeast is hungry! __________________ Moderation should be moderately moderated.

08-24-2005, 09:42 AM	#8 (permalink)
raveneye Born Against	In the interests of equal time for sea slugs: I haven't seen a sea slug yet that wasn't worth cloning . . . . (Not to slight the kitties in any way whatsoever) Last edited by raveneye; 08-24-2005 at 10:04 AM..

08-23-2005, 02:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Elphaba Deja Moo Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA	Kitties grow up to be cats. Now that cloned puppy was adorable.

08-24-2005, 10:27 AM	#9 (permalink)
Glava Betitled	The "African wildcat" is the same species as the domestic cats that we know and love. The cloning thingamajigger is impressive, though.

08-26-2005, 01:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
analog Banned	I don't see the point of the cloning shenanigans that are going on... was this a species we screwed over through deforestation, did we develop parts of their territories into condos, Starbucks, and Walmarts? If not: I see no reason to "save" this, or any, species from extinction. Scientists are fucking with the natural order of things. It's all well and good to want to "save" a dying species, but there's a reason they're dying off, it's natural selection. Their time has come. If you save every dying species through the rest of time, you'll have way too many of everything, and you'll fuck up the inherent equilibrium that exists in nature. This equilibrium exists and manifests itself through the evolution and extinction of certain species. Things need to be allowed to die when it is their time. This is not analogous to saving a dying patient in a hospital- we're dealing with a species, not one specific entity. In the continuing process that is the evolution of the animal species of the world, nothing is meant to persist. You evolve into a form, and then you either evolve into something else, or you DIE. You do not get a ticket for a free clone and a species-booster-shot. A large portion of the giraffe population of the world (a long time ago) used to have short necks. Slowly, those with the longer necks reproduced more and the gene trait for it became more dominant, simply because the short-necked giraffes could not find enough to eat- they couldn't reach the high leaves the long-necked giraffes could. Natural selection. Today, there are no short-necked giraffes. Sometimes science really pisses me off with their insistance to make everything under the sun immortal. It's not the way it's supposed to be... and none of us will be around to see the consequences, but they can be profound and irreversible. I want someone to let a boa constrictor loose in the wildcat cage, give everyone a lesson in the food chain and the natural order of life.

08-27-2005, 11:18 AM	#12 (permalink)
Zeraph Banned Location: The Cosmos	sea slugs are cool, cloning for all! except the dutch, and racists.