It is worth mentioning that this is a genetic copy of another organism called Willa, collected after death many years ago.
Black-footed ferret is a highly endangered species, so the scientists cloned using the cryopreserved cells of another female weasel, which died a few decades ago.
Elizabeth Ann was the first native species to be cloned in the United States, making an important contribution to gene cloning. Scientists believe that the birth of Elizabeth will help address genetic barriers in many endangered organisms.
The cloned weasel was born on December 10, 2020. To make the first cloning of a species in North America a reality, the researchers inserted the cloned embryo into a female mink.
Cloning is a new tool that could pave the way for additional measures such as habitat protection, disease control, and wildlife populations, scientists say.
Currently, the cloned mink is held at the US Fish and Wildlife Service Mink Conservation Center in Colorado and will not be released into the wild.
Black-footed ferret is a recognizable weasel because the dark-eyed area looks like a bandit’s mask. They are mysterious and nocturnal, feeding on prairie dogs.
