Cloning may save this animal species from extinction

Innovative advancements in cloning have been announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and its conservation partners regarding the black-footed ferret. Two new black-footed ferret clones, named Noreen and Antonia, have recently been born, expanding efforts to replicate Elizabeth Ann, an already cloned black-footed ferret.


Noreen was born at the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado, while Antonia resides at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia. Both have been cloned from the same genetic material as Elizabeth Ann and exhibit development and behavior that meet expectations.

Elizabeth Ann, Noreen, and Antonia were cloned from tissue samples taken in 1988 from a black-footed ferret named Willa, stored at the Frozen Zoo of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. These samples contain three times more unique genetic variations than the current population average. Introducing these previously unrepresented genes could significantly benefit the species' genetic diversity.

The living black-footed ferrets are all descendants of the last seven wild individuals, which presents unique challenges for their recovery. Cloning and related genetic research offer potential solutions, thus complementing habitat conservation efforts and reintroduction into the wild.


Ongoing genetic research includes efforts to obtain offspring from Noreen and Antonia, which would significantly increase the species' genetic diversity. This research also aims at other long-term goals, such as developing resistance to sylvatic plague and potentially other diseases.