Sure, the polar vortex was cold. But not as cold as the
cells of a snow leopard frozen in liquid nitrogen since 1995, or the
sperm of a wood bison cryogenically preserved for more than three
decades. The Toronto Zoo is one
of just a handful of animal reproductive labs in North American zoo
facilities. (It’s referred to as a “bio bank” because San Diego has
trademarked the term Frozen Zoo.) The goal is to maintain the genetic
diversity of dwindling species forever — perhaps for use someday by
future scientists with improved reproductive techniques. For Gaby Mastromonaco,
the curator of reproductive programs and research at the Toronto Zoo,
it’s a cool job. That’s a little joke she uses sometimes. In fact, her job is about being cold. Really cold. The cell samples,
mostly sperm, she has collected are frozen at 196 degrees C below zero
in liquid nitrogen. The frozen zoo is home to more than 50 rare and
endangered species frozen in genetic time capsules, in hopes that one
day scientists could use the DNA to reproduce living creatures. Storage tanks are filled weekly with nitrogen, and a large one is
designed to house the samples indefinitely. Millions of frozen sperm
could one day form the genetic makeup of Siberian tigers, African lions,
snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, camels, white rhinoceros, gorillas
and komodo dragons, as well as Vancouver Island marmots and wood bison
from the Northwest Territories and Alberta. With two permanent staff, Mastromonaco collaborates with a rotating team
of wildlife organizations, government departments, universities and
other researchers who together are working to maintain genetic diversity
in endangered species, not only in today’s live offspring but in
perpetuity...more
And that's a damn good place for them. Better not move that zoo to the U.S. though. See below:
Washington D.C. - The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced today the entire San Diego Frozen Zoo has been declared critical habitat for the three-toed woodpecker and 1,087 other threatened and endangered species. Today's action completes the out of court settlement reached two years ago with the Center for Ruination of Ag Production (CRAP).
Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell praised the declaration and said "We basically had no other choice."
"All of our federal lands are now in Wilderness or National Monuments" explained Secretary Jewell, and "that means we are prevented from utilizing scientific management practices to protect these species." Secretary Jewell said, "This is the only option we had left."
A spokesman for the San Diego Frozen Zoo said they would be "frozen out of business" by the habitat designation.
In a related story Keerun Suckup, a founding member of CRAP, was caught stealing frozen vials of jaguar sperm. Canadian officials said Sucker had hidden the frozen vials in the front of his underwear. "His testicles looked like raisins" and would be kept for evidence they said.
Washington D.C. - The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced today the entire San Diego Frozen Zoo has been declared critical habitat for the three-toed woodpecker and 1,087 other threatened and endangered species. Today's action completes the out of court settlement reached two years ago with the Center for Ruination of Ag Production (CRAP).
Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell praised the declaration and said "We basically had no other choice."
"All of our federal lands are now in Wilderness or National Monuments" explained Secretary Jewell, and "that means we are prevented from utilizing scientific management practices to protect these species." Secretary Jewell said, "This is the only option we had left."
A spokesman for the San Diego Frozen Zoo said they would be "frozen out of business" by the habitat designation.
In a related story Keerun Suckup, a founding member of CRAP, was caught stealing frozen vials of jaguar sperm. Canadian officials said Sucker had hidden the frozen vials in the front of his underwear. "His testicles looked like raisins" and would be kept for evidence they said.
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