Aggregated News
CLONED Tasmanian tigers would be "freak shows" in captivity, a Tasmanian wildlife biologist said yesterday.
The Department of Primary Industry and Water's Nick Mooney said the possibility of cloning the thylacine, which was canvassed in a research paper published in the US this week, may not be in the interests of genuine ecological conservation.
"I think the whole thing is a celebration of how clever people are - it's about biotechnology, it's not about conservation," he said.
"These animals would be worth so much money no one would be releasing them (into the wild)."
A US-based study, published in the online edition of Genome Research, mapped the DNA sequence of the Tasmanian tiger and suggested its revival was possible, although the technology to do so does not yet exist.
The DNA was extracted from the hair of two specimens.
The study has reignited debate about the merits of bringing back the tiger.
Mr Mooney said cloning animals currently under threat of extinction - such as the Tasmanian devil - would be a more worthwhile project.
"We're struggling with animals we've...
The Department of Primary Industry and Water's Nick Mooney said the possibility of cloning the thylacine, which was canvassed in a research paper published in the US this week, may not be in the interests of genuine ecological conservation.
"I think the whole thing is a celebration of how clever people are - it's about biotechnology, it's not about conservation," he said.
"These animals would be worth so much money no one would be releasing them (into the wild)."
A US-based study, published in the online edition of Genome Research, mapped the DNA sequence of the Tasmanian tiger and suggested its revival was possible, although the technology to do so does not yet exist.
The DNA was extracted from the hair of two specimens.
The study has reignited debate about the merits of bringing back the tiger.
Mr Mooney said cloning animals currently under threat of extinction - such as the Tasmanian devil - would be a more worthwhile project.
"We're struggling with animals we've...