Extinct turtle expected to come back to life with DNA extraction

3gzylon 2015-12-25

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By Yao Xinyu (People's Daily Online) 08:18, December 25, 2015

Extinct turtle expected to come back to life with DNA extraction

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Lonesome George was the last chelonoidis nigra turtle on Pinta Island. After living on earth over 100 years, George died in 2012. Though George’s life came to an end, it is not the end for his species. According to foreign media, scientists are trying to bring chelonoidis nigra back to life.

There were eight types of chelonoidis nigra on earth, the ones from Pinta and Flores had gone extinct, but part of their genes have remained in other live turtles. Last month, a group of scientists came to Isabela Island to find turtles with features of saddle-shape on their shell. Scientists brought 21 female and 11 male turtles back to the breeding center to analyze their DNA and to let those with more different genetic constitution reproduce.

According to researchers, new turtle species will come into being five to 10 years later. Because it takes generations of reproduction to make sure 95 percent of those turtles' genes match their ancestors.

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