Moose - Clone or Not?

A few months ago I posted a report entitled 'Jaguar Clones' Jaguar Clones referring to species in the tropical regions dying out. I outlined plans to create clones of the effected animals. There is now new talk over an animal in the colder regions of the Earth dying out - the moose. The case is so bad that experts think that the race could be extinct within 10 years.

The effects are worst and most obvious Minnesota, this is where ecologists base their claim that the population could be gone by 2023. This pattern of extinction reaches to the southern most regions of the animals kingdom, thus populations are dwindling as far south as Sweden.

Ron Moen from the University of Minnesota realised that the position was worse than most thought saying, "It's broader than I thought when I started looking into it,".

Global warming seems to be the most likely cause of the looming extinction. The moose is very susceptible to heat stress, which restricts their immune system thus making them more prone to parasites.

Research can't yet prove any link to global warming although many think it likely. If prof emerges that global warming is the cause of the reduced population, then cloning is not, or probably isn't an option, simply because it suggests that the moose is not suited to it's environment and isn't evolving fast enough. Many biologists and ecologists do think that the looming extinction of certain populations is down to global warming and that they simply can't evolve fast enough. The alternative is that their population is reducing because they are evolving. It's a bit far fetched, but it's possible.

It seems that in the case of the moose, it is probably down to global warming, because there is not much action in Alaska etc. as far as felling and other forms of purposeful environment change. However if prof emerges otherwise, then cloning may be an idea that is put on the table.

A report will be presented by Minnesota University at the next Moose Health Conference in Uppsala, Sweden (the conference will be held later this week).

Other effected species include the lynx and the snowhorse hare. These seem to be declining most in the southerly most regions of their range, thus strengthening the case of those who think global warming is to blame.