Genetic rescue group Revive & Restore believes the future of endangered black-footed ferrets could be made stronger if the cryopreserved DNA of two members who lived during the 1980s were integrated into the breeding program; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reportedly considering the plan.
The endangered black-footed ferret population could get a boost of genetic diversity from decades-old DNA, notes the New York Times.
As Scientific American reports, the animal had gone nearly extinct in the late 1980s but now number in the hundreds thanks to concerted recovery efforts.
However, experts have become concerned about their long-term sustainability because, all the animals are "...basically half-siblings—genetic near clones, with the same susceptibility to hereditary health problems, to potential pathogens or to environmental changes that could lead to population collapse."
To counteract these genetic limitations, the rescue group Revive & Restore and the San Diego Zoo, has submitted a proposal to National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center to introduce new “founder” members.
In the plan, the group points out that the zoo has two cryopreserved cell lines from the 1980s which could be cloned and integrated into the species’ breeding program.
They argue that “even the introduction of a single new founder has shown to have major benefits in reversing inbreeding depression.”
It is unknown when or if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which oversees the Center will respond to the proposal.
