| The 21th century has begun, and with it came the | | | | physician, started the first "Frozen Zoo". He |
| perfecting of new "weapons" to fight against | | | | started gathering cells from the most endangered |
| several species extinction. Biotechnology is what is | | | | species such as cheetahs, pandas, chimpanzees, |
| now being used to help getting species out of the | | | | scimitar-horned oryxes, black-footed ferrets, and |
| list of endangered animals. But biotech on its own | | | | California condors, having in mind a backup |
| is not the answer. Saving natural habitat is | | | | resource to fight extinction. Nowadays, many |
| essential and involves commitment on our part | | | | scientists and physicians are combining assisted |
| since we are the ones to put a stop to what we | | | | breeding, wildlife management, and re-introduction |
| started: overexploitation, deforestation, pollution, | | | | of animals bred in captivity to have successful |
| over-hunting, CO2 emissions, etc. | | | | results. |
| Cloning is one of the "weapons" being used to | | | | However, biotechnology is not the only answer. |
| recreate animal endangered of becoming extinct. | | | | There are several measures to be taken in order |
| A project to recuperate the European mouflon | | | | to have a satisfactory outcome in our fight to |
| population has been carried out successfully. The | | | | save endangered animals. Stopping natural habitat |
| European mouflon is a wild sheep that inhabits the | | | | destruction is one of them. There are many items |
| Mediterranean islands of Sardinia, Cyprus, and | | | | in the list of actions we have to perform in order |
| Corsica. Other ongoing projects involve the | | | | to have really good results. Many good examples |
| banteng (a species of Asian cattle), small cats | | | | of actions with great results are the conservation |
| such as the African wild cat, several antelope | | | | areas, which are sanctuaries to the species |
| species, and even the giant panda, which China | | | | protected by it. For instance, the Royal Chitwan |
| has being doing cloning using rabbits as surrogate | | | | National Park, which protects the Indian rhino and |
| mothers for the cubs. But many critics say that | | | | the Bengal tiger, and the protected areas in |
| cloning just give a false sense of security. They | | | | Madagascar, which include tropical rainforests, lime |
| say it shouldn't be our main "weapon", but a | | | | stones, wetlands, and thus, a variety of animals. |
| backup element. | | | | There are also several marine conservation areas |
| This fight has definitely expanded to the | | | | which account for the protection of sea turtles |
| laboratory. Techniques such as artificial | | | | and many marine fish. All these actions are part |
| insemination, in-vitro fertilization, and inter species | | | | of a greater fight: mankind fight to restore life on |
| embryo transferences are being used to help | | | | Earth back to reasonable conditions, including all |
| endangered animals to breed. It is biotech | | | | endangered animals. |
| conservationism. In 1975, Kurt Benirschke, a | | | | |