Have you ever wondered if it is possible to clone an animal? Well, there is a real clone living right now!
Going Extinct
Black-footed ferrets are becoming extinct. These furry critters used to thrive in American West, living on prairie dogs that they caught. But when farmers started killing off the prairie dogs, the Black-Footed ferrets lost they’re food supply and died too. In 1970, most scientists believed that there were none left.
But in 1981, the truth was set free; a small group of Black Footed Ferrets had been living in Wyoming. Eighteen of them were caught to be raised in captivity so they could increase their population. Only seven survived.
Currently, there are 400-500 Black Footed Ferrets living today. Some are still kept captive, others are set free. All are related to the seven ferrets that survived.
The Cloning
All except Elizabeth Ann. Her DNA was copied from a ferret that lived over 30 years ago named Willa. When a sheep named Dolly was cloned, more animals have been cloned over the years, but Elizabeth Ann is the first for an endangered species. Scientists have been talking about cloning the animal since 2013-2018, and finally, they allowed a group called Revive and Restore to try it.
Future Life
Elizabeth Ann was born December 10, 2020. Because she was cloned from an animal that lived over 30 years ago, her DNA is very different from other Black Footed Ferrets. Scientists hope that once her DNA is mixed in, the ferrets will grow in numbers again. Elizabeth Ann will never be let into the wild, but as more clones are made, Black-Footed Ferrets will thrive again! Long live the clones!
