Scientists are planning to clone England's only giant pandas in an attempt to save the endangered species from extinction, according to Daily Mail. With only 2,000 pandas left in the world, the scientists responsible for cloning Dolly the sheep have taken genetic samples from Tian Tian and Yang Guang at the Edinburgh Zoo. They plan to use the samples to grow more cells and hopefully work towards duplicating the animals.
"This may be a source for a cloning project," said Bill Ritchie, a researcher involved in the new potential cloning. "People are wary about cloning and would rather go with conventional methods, but pandas are an anomaly because of their lifestyle. This is a step in bringing back an endangered species or helping preserve them."
Conservationists and other scientists are saying that the cloning process is not a viable long-term solution, citing that like Dolly the sheep, cloned animals have many health problems and do not live long, according to the Independent.
It is important to note as well, that pandas are notoriously difficult to make mate, often being artificially inseminated, but even then the process doesn't always work.
Tian was pregnant earlier this year, but lost her cub during the pregnancy, according to the Guardian.
