Broadcast Date: Tuesday 28th November
2006 Summary: Scientists have created the Frozen Ark to
preserve and store the DNA of mammals facing extinction, before
it's too late!
Scientists predict that,
in the next thirty years, a quarter of the World’s
Mammal species will face extinction. Recent news reports have shown
that this statistic is as bad or worse for fish species and
it’s a pattern that is repeated throughout the animal
kingdom.
Professor Bryan Clarke, of the University of Nottingham, had first
hand experience of this impending extinction of species when
several species of the Partula Snails he was studying, in the South
Pacific, became extinct during the course of his study!
This shocking insight into the fragility of our planet’s
eco-system prompted Professor Clarke to look to ways of preserving
some detailed record of endangered species for future generations
– and the Frozen Ark was born.
The mission of the Frozen Ark project is to collect, preserve and
store the DNA and viable cells from animals in danger of
extinction. It’s being developed as a network of
international centres and being led by some of the world’s
foremost research organisations. In the UK, as well as the
University of Nottingham, organisations include the Zoological
Society of London and the Natural History Museum. Other
organisations involved in this international project include, among
others, such renowned facilities as The Animal Gene Storage
Resource Centre at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, The
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology at Hyderabad in India and
The Centre for Reproduction of Endangered Species at The Zoological
Society of San Diego in California, USA. The Frozen Ark is a unique project. Designed as a
research resource for future generations of scientists it will
ensure access to stored material that can give them real insight
into species for many generations to come.
Samples will be taken from captive-breeding programmes, zoos and
wild populations to make certain that valuable scientific records
of animals verging on extinction will not be lost for all time.
News feature includes:-
Interviews Professor Bryan Clarke, Co-Founder of the Frozen
Ark and Professor of Genetics, University of Nottingham. ProfessorPhil
Rainbow, Keeper of Zoology at the NaturalHistoryMuseum,
London Professor Bill Holt, Zoological Society of
London
GVs
– University of Nottingham Laboratories and office of The
Frozen Ark project
– Preserved exhibits, NaturalHistoryMuseum, London.
– Endangered species (Golden Lion Tamarin and Partula
Snails), London Zoo
Scientists predict that,
in the next thirty years, a quarter of the World’s
Mammal species will face extinction. Recent news reports have shown
that this statistic is as bad or worse for fish species and
it’s a pattern that is repeated throughout the animal
kingdom.