Where are the Mammoth Clones?

When will we finally have mammoth clones? Let's take a look and try and find out.

Thumbnail was made using an image from 'pixabay' by the user KELLEPICS.

Sources:

[afez]

We should start with Tasmanian tigers they are a recently extinct species and their gestation time is far smaller.

[pogsquatch]

I remember LIFE magazine talking about how scientists would be doing this with one of the next frozen specimens found, way back in the 70's.

[garchompy_]

I think it would probably be easier setting up a selective breeding program of asian elephants as long hair accross most of their body is an observed trait. would take *a while* but any "rejects" from said program in the first generations would only server to strengthen the asian elephant population, which goes with any conservation programs that may currently exist already

[zollen]

Just like everything else in life, the problem is more complicated than initially anticipated.

[jameshughes]

if we can bring them back, we would have a new way to prevent the extinction of current animals.. which is a big big deal. what we learn from trying could be really important.

[zazzyboy]

I remember finding a VHS tape my dad brought home. It was called “Raising The Mammoth”. It was a documentary that followed a Russian scientist in the 90’s and how they found a full grown mammoth under ice. Called the Jerkoff mammoth or something. They talked about how it still has DNA and how it can be cloned. Very interesting documentary and highly recommend watching it. I’m now in my mid 20’s and still no mammoth

[Spag]

Just like quicksand, I assumed mammoths were gonna be a bigger part of my adult life.

[singvang]

This is low key a GREAT question for anyone who grew up in the 90s and early 2000s...

[NobbyNobody]

I had a book when I was 7 that talked about cloning mammoths from frozen remains. I'm now 55.

[happyandblessed]

I guess it's a Mammoth 🦣 task to bring them back.
I also notice that one of the reasons they haven't managed to breed them using elephants is because, they were in fact cash cows all along.

[zanzimez]

My main concern about bringing mammoths back is: how would the species (wolves, bears, cougar) adapt to having mammoths in their ecosystem? I know they all can bring down prey bigger than themselves, but having a 10-14 ton mammal that the predators aren't adapted to killing wouldn't go so well, at least I wouldn't think so?

[rickandhews]

ive always wondered about this. as a kid i remember seeing the same things.

[bwanaugonjwa]

I’ve always wondered about genetic diversity. Say someone finds the perfect mammoth cells and proceeds to clone dozens or hundreds of mammoths. What’s stopping the mammoths from dying out of disease or serious genetic defects later down the lineage?

[dcc]

I remember this whole thing and how it started. It's entire purpose was "Well, the mammoths dig. The tundra and permafrost is kinda not doing what it's supposed to, and is getting drastically warmer. But, if we end up messing with it, and digging and upsetting it, it re-freezes and gets colder. IE: Release mammoths into places with failing permafrost, let them do their thing, and that'll combat global warming by literally making everything colder again." this was also an idea conceived by a russian man and a friend or two who took an old tank and drove it around in Siberia and then tested to see if it made things colder, and it did.

That's the main goal of the whole thing. The points of "Oh! It can bring back other creatures also!" is just one of it's net positive selling points. And yes, it would have to be a herd which would need to be protected, but it would combat global warming extremely well.

Also funny mammoth hours in a frozen wasteland making it less of a wasteland by letting shrubbery and the such be able to exist because there would be actual frozen earth it could exist in, and all that jazz.

[JNMFNFnMNH]

Think I've read that the packing down of snow/ice by Large grazing animals on the steppe was a big part of keeping temps down too. Packed snow melts slower and stays colder than freshly fallen

[Kiefsti]

I clicked on this video to fall asleep to, and now I'm subscribed and still awake. Awesome content!

[VxVash]

That's so funny I stumbled upon this video. I remember hearing this as a kid too and happened to be wondering what happened yesterday lol

[fishmob]

From what I heard, they're planning on removing the tusk genes in these mammophants to prevent poaching. As for the impact, it'd probably be quick because when Pleistocene Park managed to turn that same shrubby tundra into a productive grassland within ten or so years, and that was with bison and horse. Mammophants would just speed up the process that the formers species do already..

[TheAurelianProject]

This definitely revealed a dormant memory in my brain as a kid being excited that they will create mammoth clones.

[mika]

Such an entertaining video. Laughed out loud several times. Hope they figure out the mammoth thing in our lifetime, even if just to try it -- the impact on the tundra could be great!