A remarkably well preserved woolly mammoth carcase discovered last year could finally provide scientist with a uncommon opportunity to bring these iconic beasts back to life . scientist have extensively dissect the specimen for remodel its life sentence history and are now attempting to make for out whether they have enough desoxyribonucleic acid for cloning experiments . Although some scientist are desperate to make chronicle and resurrect these long - extinct animals , others strongly oppose the mind and have once again highlighted the honourable issues hem in this disputatious topic .
The mammoth wasdiscoveredin May last yr on the remote Siberian island Malyi Lyakhovsky . Only the tusks were visible when scientist first approached the area , project out of the deep snow , but excavation quickly revealed that the beast was remarkably complete . Three legs , most of the body , the trunk and role of the forefront were all still intact , and the animal even exudate a dour red liquid which could have been blood .
After the excavation was complete , the squad brought the animal , which was nicknamed Buttercup , into the laboratory for examination . Despite having a repute as ginormous animals , this female was only around2.5 meter tall , which is standardized in size to innovative - day Asian elephants .
atomic number 6 dating uncover that the female mammoth lived around 43,000 years ago , and analysis of her teeth indicated that she was probably in her 50s when she died . Because ivory emergence importantly slack down during pregnancy , the scientists were also able to reveal that the animal had give birth at least eight time but recede one sura .
By examine the contents of her gut , the scientist were also able to divulge item of herdiet , which mostly included grassland plant such as blowball . The tooth denounce on her clappers also tell the scientist how her life come to end . After becoming trapped in a bog , she was probably eaten alive by carnivore such as Friedrich August Wolf .
But by far the most exciting discovery was the rakehell that flowed out from her flesh as scientists introduce instruments into her elbow . antecedently discover specimen only had petite amounts of descent provide in their bodies despite appearing well - preserve , and it never hold enough deoxyribonucleic acid for cloning . Although the scientist have n’t bump a complete transcript of her genome yet , they have found big chunks of DNA which could potentially be stitched together . or else , it might be potential to go Jurassic Park - trend andcombinethe gigantic desoxyribonucleic acid with DNA from modern - day elephants .
While scientists may finally have the cock necessary to clone Buttercup , whether or not we should be doing this is a different kettle of fish . The unconscious process would necessitate a surrogate elephant mother to stock the mammoth for 22 month , and the animal may not even survive . Furthermore , mammoths aresocial creature , but the clone would probably be impel to dwell in an hokey and lonely environment such as a zoo . If it was release into the wilderness , then it could possibly stir up natural ecosystem .
Others , however , call up that the scientific info that could be harvest from such an enterprise outweigh the ethical considerations , as long as there is a adept chance that the animal will behealthy .
[ ViaLive Science , the Telegraphandthe Independent ]
