Should Scientists Be Allowed to Edit Genes of Wild Animals? Top Conservation Groups Just Voted Yes (nbcnews.com)
(Saturday October 18, 2025 @05:48PM (EditorDavid)
from the old-pair-of-genes dept.)
- Reference: 0179820396
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/10/18/0713233/should-scientists-be-allowed-to-edit-genes-of-wild-animals-top-conservation-groups-just-voted-yes
- Source link: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/animals-genetic-engineering-iucn-conservation-groups-vote-yes-rcna235522
It's the world's largest network of environmental groups, [1]according to NBC News , with more than 1,400 members from roughly 160 countries. It meets once every four years.
And in a vote Tuesday, the International Union for Conservation of Nature "approved further exploration of the use of genetic engineering tools to aid in the preservation of animal species and other living organisms."
> Researchers are already pursuing projects that involve changing some species' DNA. Scientists are [2]genetically modifying mosquitoes to reduce transmission of diseases like malaria, for example, and [3]synthesizing horseshoe crab blood , which is used in drug development. Controversial efforts to "de-extinct" archaic creatures — such as the so-called " [4]dire wolf" that a biosciences company announced it had revived this spring — fall under the umbrella, as well. So do possibilities like [5]modifying organisms to help them adapt to a warming world , which are on the table but further off in development.... The decision is applicable to work on a range of organisms, including animals, plants, yeasts and bacteria....
>
> The notion of introducing genetic engineering into wild ecosystems would have been considered a nonstarter in most conservation circles a decade ago, according to Jessica Owley [a professor and environment law program director at the University of Miami]. But the intensifying effects of climate change and other stressors to biodiversity are bolstering arguments in favor of human intervention that could make endangered species resistant to those threats... The IUCN vote, she added, reflects a feeling of desperation among conservationists and governments, as existing regulations and conservation efforts fall short and species continue to disappear worldwide.
"A separate measure, a proposed moratorium on releasing genetically modified organisms into the environment, failed by a single vote..."
[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/animals-genetic-engineering-iucn-conservation-groups-vote-yes-rcna235522
[2] https://www.science.org/content/article/controversial-gene-drive-strategy-could-make-mosquitoes-hostile-malaria-parasites
[3] https://www.mbl.edu/news/us-pharmacopeia-oks-synthetic-alternatives-horseshoe-crab-blood
[4] https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/scientists-genetically-engineer-wolves-white-hair-extinct-dire-wolf-rcna200139
[5] https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/04/crispr-used-to-genetically-edit-coral.html
And in a vote Tuesday, the International Union for Conservation of Nature "approved further exploration of the use of genetic engineering tools to aid in the preservation of animal species and other living organisms."
> Researchers are already pursuing projects that involve changing some species' DNA. Scientists are [2]genetically modifying mosquitoes to reduce transmission of diseases like malaria, for example, and [3]synthesizing horseshoe crab blood , which is used in drug development. Controversial efforts to "de-extinct" archaic creatures — such as the so-called " [4]dire wolf" that a biosciences company announced it had revived this spring — fall under the umbrella, as well. So do possibilities like [5]modifying organisms to help them adapt to a warming world , which are on the table but further off in development.... The decision is applicable to work on a range of organisms, including animals, plants, yeasts and bacteria....
>
> The notion of introducing genetic engineering into wild ecosystems would have been considered a nonstarter in most conservation circles a decade ago, according to Jessica Owley [a professor and environment law program director at the University of Miami]. But the intensifying effects of climate change and other stressors to biodiversity are bolstering arguments in favor of human intervention that could make endangered species resistant to those threats... The IUCN vote, she added, reflects a feeling of desperation among conservationists and governments, as existing regulations and conservation efforts fall short and species continue to disappear worldwide.
"A separate measure, a proposed moratorium on releasing genetically modified organisms into the environment, failed by a single vote..."
[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/animals-genetic-engineering-iucn-conservation-groups-vote-yes-rcna235522
[2] https://www.science.org/content/article/controversial-gene-drive-strategy-could-make-mosquitoes-hostile-malaria-parasites
[3] https://www.mbl.edu/news/us-pharmacopeia-oks-synthetic-alternatives-horseshoe-crab-blood
[4] https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/scientists-genetically-engineer-wolves-white-hair-extinct-dire-wolf-rcna200139
[5] https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/04/crispr-used-to-genetically-edit-coral.html
About those extinct animals. (Score:2)
by newcastlejon ( 1483695 )
The people at Colossal aren't actually trying to bring back any of the extinct animals as the news articles often imply. They're trying to engineer existing species so that they merely resemble the old ones. In the case of the "dire wolf" in TFS, they're just trying to make versions of contemporary wolves with white fur.
Impressive in its way but disingenuous bordering on deceitful to use phrases like "de-extinct" when the goal is to create something that never existed before.
People do it all the time (Score:2)
It's called breeding.
Ever saw a Chihuahua?
That's a formerly wild wolf.
Re: (Score:1)
Yeap but here they're establishing that the next 'civilisation'-ending virus which jumps from wild animals to humans was as a result of a vote by people considered to speak for the natural world.
Perhaps there's a DNA modification which would prevent people from experiencing the urge to commit genocide or support it ?
Re: (Score:1)
Then you'd have a harder time working people to death if there's no sense that they'll get to retirement at some point.
Re: (Score:2)
> Yeap but here they're establishing that the next 'civilisation'-ending virus which jumps from wild animals to humans was as a result of a vote by people considered to speak for the natural world.
> Perhaps there's a DNA modification which would prevent people from experiencing the urge to commit genocide or support it ?
Just return to hunter gatherer days, and end all civilization. Like it or not, if it can be done, it will be done.