Woolly Mammoth

This post is a little out of the ordinary for our class blogs, but today we are all blogging about Woolly Mammoths.  Why would we be blogging about them?  We are blogging about them because there are scientists in Japan, Russia, and the United States that believe they can clone a Woolly Mammoth. Yes, they want to make an actual living breathing mammoth to study. 

Scientists have been able to find Woolly Mammoths that are essentially mummified by snow and ice.  Most of these specimens have been found in Siberia.  Siberia encompasses almost all of northern Asia.  The area of Siberia where the specimens have been found is in the tundra part of Siberia.  The tundra is a cold and icy region.  They Mammoths they have found have been complete with hair, tusks, skin, etc.  Here is a photo of a baby Woolly Mammoth they found:

So the question at hand is should we clone Woolly Mammoths?  Some scientists say, yes, for the research information and others say no, we do not know the ramifications of doing it.   I have issues with cloning period.  I am for cloning body parts for transplant, but when it comes to cloning a living breathing being I am not sure we should be doing it.  I tell my students frequently, "just because you can do something doesn't mean you should".  I could go home tonight and decide to burn my trampoline down; should I?  No, I shouldn't my children love the trampoline and burning it down would serve no positive purpose.  I understand the argument cloning a Woolly Mammoth would provide us with information we would never be able to get without actually having a Mammoth to study; it is a good argument.  I support the argument cloning a Mammoth could have ramifications we cannot even imagine.  Woolly Mammoths are not part of the ecosystem anywhere on this planet; what would happen if we introduced this species?  In West Virginia alone we have had big issues with invasive species such as the Japanese Knotweed and the Zebra Mussel.  Initially, both were introduced for a positive purpose, but have now caused harm. 

 Zebra Mussel:

Japanese Knotweed:









Woolly Mammoths were vegetarians, how would they impact our food supply?  I know one is not going to make that big of a difference, but would we really stop with one?  What if the Woolly Mammoth genes carried some type of agent harmful to humans?  What if the Mammoth got loose?  What if the Mammoth kept breeding with Elephants what kind of animal would it produce?  Would there be birth defects?  Would there be any mental illness that would make the animal rage and cause injury to people or property?  There are so many what ifs I cannot in good conscience support the idea of cloning an animal that has been extinct for thousands of years.