Thread by @stewartbrand

This is huge. The first cloning for conservation.

It's a male Przewalski's horse ("shuh-VAL-ski") from 40 years ago, now revived to help enrich the genomes of the whole wild population.

Thanks to San Diego Zoo, ViaGen, and Revive & Restore

https://twitter.com/BenJNovak1/status/1302378852853985283

Here's the cloned (twinned, "revived") foal, named Kurt:

Noted the classic "Mohawk" mane. And how he jumps the water bowl, then heads back to surrogate mom.

He's feisty too, in no way a domestic horse.

How it began:
reviverestore.org/projects/przew…
"It was in February 2017 that Revive & Restore co-founders Stewart Brand, Ryan Phelan, and lead scientist Ben Novak first met with Blake Russell, president of ViaGen Pets and Equine to discuss the potential for cloning endangered species. "

It was @Ryanphelan6 who got the project going, abetted by @BenJNovak1 . I was basically along for the ride at ViaGen that day.

(Did you know that most polo ponies these days are descended from cloned horses? Cloning is transforming the breeding biz.)

I see a fair number of the retweeters think this is a cloning of an extinct species.

Not yet.

This is the cloning of an individual of an ENDANGERED species in need genomic enrichment. It is the revival of possibly extinct ALLELES for the benefit of the whole wild population.

More info on...
This project:
reviverestore.org/projects/przew…
Przewalski's horse:
reviverestore.org/projects/przew… and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Przewalsk…
Cloning:
reviverestore.org/projects/przew…
San Diego Frozen Zoo:
institute.sandiegozoo.org/resources/froz…
ViaGen Equine:
viagenpets.com/equine/

In sum:

This is not yet de-extinction.

It IS “genetic rescue.”

The first of many such to come for genetically bottlenecked wild populations.

With restored genetic variation they will be far healthier and more adaptable.

And so will wildlife conservation.