Choose your animal to de-extinct

Turns out scientists predict, in a few years, we will be able to bring back any extinct animal we want.

By using 3 techniques, which should be finessed in a few years, we can atone for all out past bad maintenance of earth's animals.

1) We can back breed, in which we select a close living relative and selectively breed for the characteristics of the extinct species. 

You might think we could create Dire Wolves in this manner, but oddly they're distinctly different than our modern day wolves. They came from a different line which also went extinct.

However, I believe the crocodile would be a good candidate for back breeding a monster from our past

But why would we do that??? Our current sized ones are trouble enough.


2) For species with no viable genetic material available, we can sequence the genome of similar animals and edit the code to add what is necessary to create our extinct creature. This has been done once already.

Scientist created their Frankengoat (pyrenian ibex) and had embryos implanted in 57 modern day mountain goats. Only one embryo made it to birth and it died soon after leaving the womb due to an improperly developed lung. (Clearly, the scientists need more time to finesse DNA manipulation.) But we are daily expanding our knowledge in this area. For example we now know 'junk genes' aren't junk and proteins have a great deal of influence. They believe within four years, they will have mastered this.

3) Finally, once we painfully create our Frankencreature, we will need to clone it, because otherwise they are going to be very lonely critters.

So by using all three techniques, and without any tree sap involved, we will soon be able to create Jurassic Park.   yeah.

I loved the book, Jurrasic Park, and I loved the movies, but I have grave concerns that I won't love the reality of such.

When I was in Canada on one of my many walkabouts, I came upon an Extinct Animal Zoo.
Fascinated, I enter and walk down a path into the woods. I came around the corner and met a pack of Dire wolves snarling at me. The five foot tall wolves, far wider and muscular than current wolves, caused me to jump back. "Thank God you are extinct!" I declared. 

As I continued my journey, I discovered two things: 1st, I began to fear turns in the path because there was always an extinct animal (in plaster) waiting to kill me around the bend. 2nd) I didn't regret the loss of a single animal I met. I was even glad the Giant Sloth was extinct. 

Check out those claws. And it's about twice the height of a human. It may nibble all the trees it wants, I don't want it anywhere near me. One swat and I'd be dead.

The last 'thank God they're dead' animal was the giant chicken from Madagascar.  However, since this 12 foot chicken didn't die out until the 17th century, there is sub fossil DNA available to bring it back if we want.

I vote NO!  If you think otherwise, check out my prior blog on the matter. I am grateful to the pirates who killed off the giant bird. 


And if that's not enough reason to let the dead lie, consider the possibility that we might bring back a virus while reviving old animals which then jumps species.

Now what does make sense is to save some of our current species that are very close to extinction. However, don't expect that to happen. Here's why:

1) There is no Wow factor in increasing the population of a currently living species.

2) It will create chaos in the different organizations and governmental offices.

Presently the Wildlife people can declare a species (Like the East Coast Mountain Lion) extinct, even as one, possibly two live in my town. They just keep insisting it's a large tabby until someone runs over it. Then stuck with a body that is clearly a mountain lion, they declare it came from the west, so it doesn't count. 

By declaring the animal extinct, it can now be hunted, since it doesn't exist any longer. Thus anything you bag is an anomaly, not a real animal.


However, if we start dredging up and recognizing animals after we have declared them extinct or worse bring back animals that truly are extinct then we'll really be eaten by them, since they are no longer anomalies, but rather Frankencritters.

I need to start building a concrete bunker in my basement now. 
 
And Thanks to Tony L. who brought to my attention to this musical version of my blog.