Endangered Species Conservation – Last male northern white rhino in Ol Pejeta Game Reserve, Sudan, Kenya. Sudan died on March 19, 2018. Photo credit: MEAACT/Stuart Price.
We are facing a global crisis of biodiversity loss. Tens of thousands of animal species go extinct every year and almost half of the world’s biodiversity has been lost since the 1970s. These alarming trends show no signs of slowing down. In fact, population growth, massive habitat loss, invasive species, wildlife diseases and climate change are making the situation worse.
Endangered Species Conservation
We need new innovative approaches to preserve our planet’s biodiversity. Fortunately, the rapid advances in biotechnology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution are promising. New genetic and biotechnological tools are already being used in medicine and agricultural systems, especially in crops and domestic animals. Biotechnology is advancing at a rate faster than Moore’s Law, doubling the processing power of microchips every two years while costs are halved.
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The cost of genome sequencing has fallen from $100 million in 2001 to less than $1,000 today. Now not only can we read biological code faster, we can also write and construct it in new ways.
Geneticists Craig Venter and Daniel Cohen said these advances indicate that the 21st century will be called the “age of biology.” However, we are only exploring the potential applications of these tools for conservation.
Biobanks store biological samples for research and as a backup resource to preserve genetic diversity. Examples include the San Diego Frozen Zoo, Frozen Ship Projects, and many seed banks. The samples provide tissues, cell lines and genetic information that can form the basis for restoring and restoring endangered wildlife through genomic insights and reproductive technologies, two other innovations detailed below. Properly collecting specimens for conservation purposes is a technically and logistically challenging task. We must facilitate the ongoing collection of biological samples from endangered species around the world.
The rapid decline in genome sequencing has led to initiatives to sequence the genomes of all living species, and improved ancient DNA techniques have made it possible to access the genomes of extinct species such as the woolly mammoth, thylacine, and passenger pigeon. This growing genome database, combined with advances in big data and artificial intelligence, allows researchers to examine entire communities using DNA (eDNA) left in their environment, creating a non-invasive means of monitoring species.
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All of this bioinformatics information provides genomic insights to improve monitoring, management, and restoration of threatened wildlife. The latest DNA sequencing tools bring science to the field for real-time results and will one day enable real-time data-driven decision making. Genomic insight is the basis for a variety of biotechnological applications, including the following tools.
Biosynthesis is not new; A famous example is insulin produced by modified bacteria. Bacterial production of insulin has increased its availability and reduced costs by eliminating the need to collect it from domestic animals.
It is this process that reduces the commercial need to extract biological products from wild species. For example, there are effective synthetic alternatives that are replacing the widespread use of horseshoe crab blood in pharmaceutical trials.
When insulin bacteria were first created, the insulin gene was removed from its organic source. But today we can print DNA or RNA from genomic databases. Synthesized DNA and RNA are not only the basis of bioproducts, but also of genome editing, gene drive and disease control. Imprinted sequences of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) can be engineered to fight infections by triggering an immune response known as RNA interference (RNAi). Double-stranded RNA could be used to combat deadly, currently incurable fungal diseases that are spreading rapidly due to global trade. Wildlife diseases and emerging fungi are killing bats, amphibians, coral reef systems and many plants around the world. This technology can safely slow or even reverse damage in many environments.
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Cloning can be a game changer when it comes to recovering and helping endangered mammals. Cloning cell lines stored in biobanks could help restore genetic diversity in threatened species.
The last male northern white rhino, Sudan, died on Monday, leaving only two females alive. In an effort to save the species, scientists at the San Diego Zoo Global are developing stem cell technologies to create a new generation of northern white rhinos.
One of the newest reproductive tools is genome editing. Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, scientists at the University of California, Davis, have created a line of hornless dairy cattle, a feat that would take generations of traditional breeding.
This specific breeding method offers wildlife managers a targeted way to activate disease resistance that is specific to a species’ genome but may be dormant, or to help a species adapt to climate change.
Endangered Species Conservation » Wild At Life
The invasion of non-native pest species (rodents, feral pigs, insects) represents a serious global threat to biodiversity. Traditional methods of eliminating invasive species, such as toxins, can have harmful effects on native wildlife. New gene editing tools allow us to use a natural process for the humane and highly efficient extermination of non-native pests: gene drives.
Genetic drive is the process of inheriting a variant of a gene in a way that violates the 50-50 sex rule of sexual reproduction. Genetic drives are found throughout nature, and scientists have been anticipating their use for specific purposes for years. Now impulses can be directed to any gene. To solve the problem of invasive rodents, a genetic boost could be used to change the sex ratio of an island population of rats so that they are male only and unable to reproduce. The same process can eliminate disease vectors, such as mosquitoes, which save birds from bird flu.
When used responsibly, gene drives are a potentially transformative new tool in controlling invasive species. However, despite its potential, its high heritability makes field application risky and requires innovations for safe localization and precise specificity. Currently, many new versions of gene drives are being developed to solve these problems.
Advances in biotechnology are advancing so quickly that we hope genetic interventions are just around the corner. The challenge now is to integrate biotechnology and conservation in a thoughtful and innovative way.
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It will be important to increase public-private partnerships for the development of new biotechnological innovations. Environmental groups, nonprofit organizations, religious groups, and government entities must work together to develop a consensus on the appropriate use of biotechnology tools and to build public acceptance of biotechnology applications.
With the right genetic tools and dedicated collaboration, we can turn the tide of wildlife extinction.
Nishan Degnarain is the Managing Director of Breakthrough Ocean Ventures. Ryan Phelan is the Executive Director of Revive & Restore. 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of one of the first, strongest, and most important conservation laws on Earth, the Endangered Species Act. The environmental non-profit organization Defenders of Wildlife wrote a report tracking successes (so far) and suggesting improvements for the future. I interviewed Dr. Lindsay Rosa, vice president of conservation research and innovation at Defenders of Wildlife, about the report she co-authored. Below is a lightly edited transcript of our interview.
What is unique about the Endangered Species Act and how does it compare to environmental laws in other countries?
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“The Endangered Species Act is considered the most comprehensive endangered species conservation legislation ever enacted, and its creation set an important precedent for other countries to follow in terms of national species conservation programs. Some of the features that are unique of the ESA and that contribute to its success include the fact that the listing and de-listing of a species is based on science and not politics.
Protections against harm to a species or its habitat apply to all species in the United States, not just federal lands like Canada’s Endangered Species Act. The species doesn’t care much about the political boundaries we place on the landscape, so they’re not just limited to National Wildlife Refuges, but also Forest Service lands, military lands, and more. you can pass. When one agency’s actions undermine the conservation efforts of others, recovery is difficult.
Citizens have the right to get involved in the conservation of endangered species, including petitioning the government to list species, commenting on proposed regulations, and suing the government for noncompliance. And the focus is on recovery, not just preventing extinction – and this requires a proactive effort to restore species to the point where they no longer require ESA protection, using the entire federal government to achieve that goal.”
“The Endangered Species Act is already responsible for more than 50 full recoveries, the ultimate success! Of course, there are hundreds of other advances, because without the protection of the Law these species could become extinct. Some of my favorite recovery stories include the American Alligator and the Magazine Mountain Shagreen.
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There’s something more special about the southeastern United States than alligators. They are the cornerstone of incredible green ecosystems, like the floodplains of the Everglades. And they are a species that has not changed since the time of the dinosaurs! Think about everything
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