Frozen Zoo- Restores Extinct Species

-Ranjit Patro

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The history of life on earth had witnessed five mass extinction of species due to natural calamities, currently we are in the sixth mass extinction and that is due to Anthropogenic activities(i.e. by human beings). We have changed the habitats, environments of animals in order to fulfill the qualitative demands of ourselves. Now a days, this activity increases exponentially, because of exponentially increase in population and their demands. Now we know that some species which are going to be extinct in very near future and some species are only found in the zoo with a very few number of their groups of species. Zoos are always fascinating to visit for everyone and In India there are around 72 Zoos. But, do you know about a special type of zoo named Frozen Zoo which can bring back extinct species. If NOT, Then Here We Go to know more about the Frozen Zoo. Like,

1. What makes up a Frozen Zoo?
2. Why we need them?
3. Can they really bring back the extinct animals?

The above picture was of the last male nothern white rhinoceros named Sudan. He died in 2020, only two species of this animal were left behind now and they are Sudan's daughter and grand-daughter. Does that mean the End of the Sub-species ? Well, Probably Not! Here we need the help from Frozen Zoo. Let's see how they can really bring back the extinct animals ?

Researchers at the San Diego zoo's Institute for conservation Research are working to give the Sub-species to a second chance by the help of a Frozen Zoo. A Frozen Zoo is like a storage house where genetic material like DNA, Sperm, eggs, embryo taken from animals are stored at frizzing cold temperature that is -196°C. At this temperature all life activities are stopped and these biological ingredients remain stable as they are. So, by doing this we can store them about hundreds of years and later they could be use to revive the species they belong to.

All this process of revolution started in 1970 at San Diego zoo's Institute by Dr. Kurt Benirschke. He started collecting and storing of samples various species. Now, it is the world's largest zoo, as it contains 10,000 living cultures, oocytes, sperms etc. In a Frozen Zoo there are so many large cold stainless steel tanks with racks inside them which looks like floors in a large buildings from inside. Each floor can contain hundreds of boxes and in each box there are millions of living cell. How can one distinguish which animal species we need to work ? Don't worry these all boxes are indexed before placed in Racks of tanks.

Now, How can an extinct species brought back to life ?

Zoos are always using reproductive techniques in order to save the life of endangered species. However, they use the species which are exist before extinct but Frozen Zoos can work at one step ahead, that is it can bring back the extinct species which are died at a year ago. Like, in the case of above species of White Rhino, Researchers are managed to turned out some of the cells into specialized stem cells. These stem cells are now can be converted into any cell of body like egg and sperm cell, which can be further utilized to produce embryo. That Embryo can be develop into a baby Rhino in another species by in-vivo process. 

This sounds like Science Fiction, but in theory it is possible. Researchers have already grown a baby mouse from skin cells by using above techniques and It's worth a shot. Let's hope scientists could manage to develop a male rhino and the existed female white rhino will became a parent soon. This could save the endangered species. Using bank samples to promote diversity would give us a chance to change the natural world in a positive way. In short you never ever can't live alone in this planet. In order to sustain there must be balance among all the animals and plants in the Ecosystem. 

Written By-

Ranjit Patro