Cloning time?

In the Book of Genesis 1:26, Adam is given control over "every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth". According to the Old Testament, humans should be at the top of the food chain. Yet to animals such as giant hyenas, bears, lions, eagles, snakes and even giant kangaroos, until recently we were just prey.

How the tables have turned. Almost all of the species that preyed upon us are now endangered or extinct. Our ancestorsThe people related to us who lived a long time ago. would be surprised to see that we no longer want to battle wild animals, but to save them.

The news often suggests that our efforts are unsuccessful, as countless species of plants and animals have been wiped out in recent decades.

However, a new report commissioned by Rewilding Europe found signs that many previously endangered wildlife species are thriving thanks to conservation efforts. This includes grey wolves, Eurasian beavers, grey seals, European bison, white-tailed eagles and brown bears.

Despite this, some scientists believe that a more effective way to protect endangered species would be to cloneTo create an exact genetic copy of an organism or cell. them.

A range of endangered mammals have been cloned before, including the Arctic wolf, black-footed ferret and African wildcat. Maya, the Arctic wolf pup, is just 100 days old.

Not everybody is a fan of cloning. It is a process some think is riddled with ethical problems.¹ And it does not address habitat destruction and hunting by humans, which are at the root of the problem of extinction. Efforts to clone extinct animals could be more beneficial, but most scientists still view it as impossible.

Conservation is one of the most pressing questions of our time. It concerns not only the health of the planet, some argue, but the health and wellbeing of humans too. Research has shown that two hours spent in nature every week could be as good for us as five pieces of fruit and veg a day, or 150 minutes of weekly exercise. Now, a fierce argument is brewing about just how far we should go to achieve it.

Yes: Cloning animals is unpredictable and unethical. There are few success stories, and the risk is far higher than the gain. Halting extinction is urgent, and cloning technology is moving at a snail's pace.

No: We need to investigate every possible avenue to protect our wildlife, and this includes cloning. If we can perfect cloning methods for living species, we can find ways to resurrect extinct ones too, which would be even more beneficial.

Or... Above all, we need to prioritise protecting our planet and our wildlife as quickly as possible. If cloning technology can be developed in order to do that, we can put aside some ethical problems for the greater good. If not, we need to rely on rewilding.