Do you support De-extinction efforts?

1. 81

   Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years ago

   Do you support De-extinction efforts?
   
   Reviving an extinct species of animal is a controversial topic on many levels. There are loads of issues involved, and the more one thinks of it, the more issues one can imagine.
   
   The science is not there yet, but it is being worked on, and furiously. Do you think this is a good idea?  Why or why not?
   
   

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   tsadjatkoposted 8 years ago

   
   
   As in any human endeavor there are pros and cons.
   
   Frankly I think this and going to the moon or Mars or any other unnecessary waste of our money and resources when half the whole planet is starving, waging war, trampling human rights and frankly in a mess is insane. If we applied all the resources possible to solving this world's problems maybe, once the problems are solved, maybe it would make sense to undertake these endeavors but honestly to do it now is no different than taking the rent money to play the lotto.
   These animals would undoubtedly be exploited not to mention potential diseases they could inject into the present.
   
   Of course it is probable that our world's problems will never be solved but that isn't justification to play God or (for you atheists out there) to tempt mother nature either.
   
   Be that as it may my words will never be headed as long as there are people (or governments)with money and a free reign to experiment anyway they see fit despite any moral implications.
   
   Today we have an administration that would like to lock up any American who disagrees with man made global warming while they partner with countries who are the worst offenders when it comes to carbon emissions. By their measure shouldn't we be at war with countries like China, put them in jail? After all they are aiding and abetting the greatest threat to our security today according to John Kerry "Climate change as big a threat as terrorism, poverty, WMDs !"

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   1. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      John Kerry, he's also half man, half bear, and half pig!
      
      Lets engineer more GMO mosquitoes and then sell vaccines! PROFIT!

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      That's three halfs wes? Oh, I see he's the result of a de-extinction experiment.

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      fpherj48posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      LMAO!!!  I was going to comment on the 3 halves thing...but I could never have topped T's comment!!  LOL

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   4. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      LOL!  I'm hoping you've seen the Southpark 'manbearpig' episode.  If not, do yourself a favor and watch it!!!!

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Wes,you got me on that one,never watch SP &ever heard of the man,bear,pig episode,well done equat'nKerry with a cartoon episode,I watched a clip&there is a definite resemblance.I never have seenKerry's feet,I thought I had,but it was his chin

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3. 81

   annartposted 8 years ago

   Generally speaking, I think nature takes care of these things.  Extinction often comes from change of environment or catastrophe.
   Having said that, man can cause both those things, so maybe man should try to make amends.  However, we make more mistakes rather than leaving things to nature, I feel.  So overall, I'd be inclined to let nature fill the gap.  It usually does.

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   1. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      That is a huge motivation for de-extinction - making amends for carrier pigeons, the Thylacine, etc.
      
      I would totally be cool with a re-introduced Thylacine, who couldn't want a marsupial wolf/dog looking thing with tiger stripes running around?

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      annartposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Who indeed?!  That would be quite something, wouldn't it?

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I think you meant passenger pigeon Wes, we have carrier pigeons.

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   fpherj48posted 8 years ago

   Hello Wes & Tsad.....This is not anything on my "Thoughts for Today" list, Wesman, my sweet boy toy.....But for you, I'll muster up a comment. 
   Actually, ya know what?  Since I don't really know much about this here topic, amigo......just mark me down as "Ditto" what Tsad said.  Every once in a while~NOT often~ he seems to know what he's blabbing about.
   
   What he says sounds good to me.  By the time this country gets around to doing anything of any significance, Ole T & I will be gone.  Just you whipper snappers will be left to deal with all this CRAP!   Maybe by the time you are old & grey, Wes, they'll get that wall built! 
   
   You'll have to pay big bucks to import the Senoritas! 
   
   Have a great week-end  & behave yourself (if you can possibly do both at once).....Love ya, Effer

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   1. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Ha! You mean you don't spend hours and hours of each and every day dreaming of seeing a real live wool coated mammoth?

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   2. 60

      fpherj48posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      No Wes,  Not since I divorced him in '86!

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      "Every once in a while~NOT often~ he seems to know what he's blabbing about." whaaaaaaaaaaaaa...???? I'll take that as a compliment! (something I learned while on Venus)

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      fpherj48posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Oh?  You learned something?   Wow.  Too bad you couldn't have stayed longer!!  Was that a long drawn out WHAAAT?   or are you crying?  LOL

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   5. 65

      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Both

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      fpherj48posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      LOL!!

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5. 86

   tamarawilhiteposted 8 years ago

   It could be a good idea if it helps restore regional ecosystems, as bringing back the mammoth or great American pigeon might.

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   1. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, but with the way it is going with elephants, maybe we should save them first!

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Good point Wes, e should do that instead of trying to rewrite history. the ramifications to de-extinction of a species are many & the whole end game needs to be planned before the kick off. Fat chance,scientists r more int. in next paycheck.

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6. 0

   LoliHeyposted 8 years ago

   Tsad's answer was on point, but I have to admit it would be cool to see a dinosaur or a mammoth live in the flesh.  Or a saber tooth tiger.

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   1. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      The mammoth is the best shot because they find them whole and having been frozen since forever - so the dna isn't so degraded, AND they know they can implant an embryo in an African elephant. So you may get to see that mammoth!

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      OK but then what, you have an elephant that looks like a mamoth. Creating an animal 100% identical to an extinct species is probably an impossible task. Then what do you do to propagate the animal? No diverse gene pool, environment?

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   3. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      TSAD - no the idea is to put an embryo into an African elephant.  An embryo from a mammoth. No, I've no idea how they are going to get the embryo - cloning, I suspect.

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Well from what I've read the Asian elephants are closer to mammoths than either is to African elephants &they are not trying to make an exact copy of a mammoth,but rather a cold-resistant elephant by splicing mammoth genes for certain traits

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7. 83

   gmwilliamsposted 8 years ago

   
   
   No, such is an exercise in utter futility.  Many animals become extinct because of natural selection & change in the ecosystem. Also, mutation plays a part in the evolution & extinction of animal species. Nature is never constant, it is changing, evolving, mutating, & dying to be replaced by new forms of nature.     
   
   Animals become extinct for a reason.  They could not adjust to the ever changing ecosystem.  They did not have the mechanisms to survive in their new environment so they died of.  Nature has a law of the survival of the fittest.  Animals who adjust & adopt will survive while those who cannot simply will die off. 
   
   What we need to do as humans is to take care of the animal life we presently have on our planet.  Many animals are becoming extinct because of the incessant greed & selfishness of humans.  We do not need to gratuitously hunt animals for trophies & for sport.  That is beyond barbaric & reaches satanic levels.  We must learn that there are other lifeforms other than human life forms & respect/cherish those lifeforms.

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Well said GM,but managing wildlife populations often requires hunting or some populations would overrun their ecosystem&destroy other speciesIt's  illegal poaching that is the problem which isn't always incessant greed&selfishness but surviva

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   2. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      The Thylacine and the carrier pigeon weren't killed by the environment - except humans are part of the environment. Also, both went extinct in the 1900s - so I'm all for bringing those two back.

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Not in your or my lifetime, won't happen. So who cares, I won't if I'm not around.

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8. 67

   Galadriel Arwenposted 8 years ago

   Personally I believe that extinction is a part of life. I remember learning about many Native American People who are now extinct and at one time thriving. There are reasons for everything and with extinction a lot has to do with climate change, mating and, food availability.
   Should we work on  genetic DE-extinction? Considering what we have done with genetic manipulation of wheat leaves most in a quandary as to what benefit would come out of any genetic DE-extinction effort.

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   1. 65

      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Would be good for a zoo or a circus show, see that's the problem. Once they're here what do you do with them, keep them in captivity forever? Not what they were meant to be.

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9. 76

   Peter Dickinsonposted 8 years ago

   I believe we need to concentrate on keeping what we already have. There have been too many new extinctions even in my own short life.

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   1. 81

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, all the most majestic animals in Africa are currently in danger or only in zoos. If all there is of a species is some individuals in a zoo - they may as well be extinct, as they don't know how to live in their natural zone.

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      Peter Dickinsonposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      The official breeding programmes in good zoos allow for the fact that will and can be returned to the wild after training and hacking back. There does have to be a suitable wild environment to return them to though.

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    Suhail and my dogposted 8 years ago

    I support de-extinction efforts only if man as a homo sapiens sapiens was the main cause in the original extinction of any species. This would mean I support de-extinction of all the fauna sent the extinction way by humans during their expansion into Polynesia, Australia and New Zealand (moa birds, island wildlife, etc.), human expeditions into the new World and decimation of wildlife during those, invasion and colonization of the third world countries by the European powers and attendant annihilation of local wildlife, etc. This also means I support de-extinction of woolly mammoth, cave bear, scimitar cat, dire wolf, etc. at the hands of humans some 40 to 50,000 years ago.

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    1. 81

       Wesman Todd Shawposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Hey, I've never heard of the scimitar cat. Thanks for mentioning that - I'm going to look it up!

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