Recently, a black-footed ferret was cloned, which marks it as one of the first endangered species to have repopulated in that way in the United States.

Named Elizabeth Ann, the cloned ferret was the first to have its species come back after years of being thought of as extinct. Born on December 10, the genes Elizabeth Ann has come from a ferret named Willa who died in 1998, according to an Associated Press article.

Cloning is a somewhat new idea that has gained traction in the last decade. It first popped up in 1885, but it did not become something that was practical until around the 1990s. After a cloning in 1996, resulting in Dolly the sheep, this became the first time where scientists could just use one cell from another animal to create a clone. 

It is definitely something worth researching as it holds the possibility of recreating long extinct species like the dodo, for instance. 

There are a few drawbacks to using cloning however. For example, trying to bring back a species’ population might create unpredictable genetic defects. In that scenario, scientists would have to closely monitor the cloned species until there is a diverse enough gene pool for where the species can sustain itself. There also is always the possibility that the population will return back to zero. As a result, the possibility of cloning extinct species is real, but so far isn’t sustainable, and highly unlikely to occur on a substantial enough scale. 

“Biotechnology and genomic data can really make a difference on the ground with conservation efforts,” says Ben Novak, a scientist in the nonprofit organization Revive & Restore.

It will be a great tool in preserving species that are close to extinction. Although clones will more or less be a full genetic copy of another animal, it’s still an innovation that is important.

For example, Elizabeth Ann is a ferret that according to a Smithsonian Magazine article, has no descendants in the current population. 

“If she produces kits and we can properly harness her genetic diversity, it will absolutely benefit the species—the more genetic diversity we have, the better,” says Paul Marinari.

It’s beneficial for the species’ population to have Elizabeth Ann be cloned from Willa. Cloning to preserve species won’t always be good for a population, but if it comes down to it, cloning is a necessary tool.