Researchers have successfully cloned a highly endangered species of ferret using cells that were frozen more than three decades ago. The clone, named Elizabeth Ann, is a species of black-footed ferret that was born on December 10, 2020.
It was created using cells from "Willa," a wild black-footed ferret that died but whose cells were cryopreserved in 1988, according to a statement from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
It is the first time an endangered species has been cloned in the United States, and researchers hope it will help bring genetic diversity to the black-footed ferret population, which today numbers just seven individual ferrets, which does that all living members of the species are essentially half siblings.
The process used to create Elizabeth Ann is similar to that used a quarter century ago to create Dolly , the cloned sheep, except this time the surrogate was of a different species.
"It was the commitment to seeing this species survive that has led to the successful birth of Elizabeth Ann. Seeing her now thrive marks the beginning of a new era for her species and for conservation-dependent species everywhere. It is a victory for biodiversity and genetic rescue, " says Ryan Phelan, CEO of Revive and Rescue,
