# We can clone woolly mammoths. Should we? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 20, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561 "2008-11-20T00:38:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/21 "2008-11-20T03:47:36Z")
Of course we should try to bring back cool creatures that don’t seem to have much chance of multiplying out of control. Love that science. We can’t be too far off from designing our own creatures _de novo_, can we? I must say I am much more nervous about messing with viruses and bacteria than with large vertebrates. What if we made a virus that bumped us all off before I could gloat that AGW ended up being a bust? But mammoths? Absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/22 "2008-11-20T03:54:10Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yes. Mammoths have been gone only a brief time, and they are close enough to elephants that we could do this with low risk of doing the animal harm. It would be a colossal scientific achievement. > > As for those against… should we try to clone an animal that went extinct last year? If so, then why not the mammoth? It’s worth noting that mammoths have been extinct for only about 3,700 years, if we count the existence of the Wrangel Island population. > **[Wrangel Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrangel_Island)** > > Wrangel Island (Russian: О́стров Вра́нгеля, romanized: Ostrov Vrangelya, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}IPA: \[ˈostrəf ˈvrangʲɪlʲə\]; Chukot: Умӄиԓир, romanized: Umqiḷir, IPA: \[umqiɬir\], lit. 'island of polar bears') is an island of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. It is the 92nd-largest island in the world and roughly the si [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v362/n6418/abs/362337a0.html](http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v362/n6418/abs/362337a0.html) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/23 "2008-11-20T03:55:21Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Even if they were released into the equivalent of Yellowstone I don’t see them being a major ecological threat. If we can’t deal with restocking wolves that kill cattle near Yellowstone, I can’t see dealing with creatures that could push over your house. Mammoths were larger than [Willie](http://www.elephantsanctuary.org/bios/african.asp). Willie dresses out at five tons. I’ve lived in houses smaller than Willie. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/24 "2008-11-20T04:13:56Z")
Yeah, but wolves are fast, a Mammoths survival strategy is ‘I’m too big to fuck with.’ with radio tags and high powered weapons I’m confident we can push back, I’m for it. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/25 "2008-11-20T04:18:52Z")
I may be wrong about this, but in addition to that point, mammoths wouldn’t exactly breed like rabbits either (I don’t think elephants are particularly prolific). I’m not seeing how we could possibly be over run by mammoths. If anything they are going to be like bison…a species that is going to require human protection and care or it would die out, at least in the current human-centric world. -XT ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/26 "2008-11-20T04:28:01Z")
My point is that we don’t understand the implications of re-establishing a current species in Yellowstone. We surely don’t understand what would happen with one that hasn’t been around for several thousand years. I vote for cloning them and keeping them in captivity. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/27 "2008-11-20T04:36:22Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > My point is that we don’t understand the implications of re-establishing a current species in Yellowstone. We surely don’t understand what would happen with one that hasn’t been around for several thousand years. > I vote for cloning them and keeping them in captivity. fair enough, I concur ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/28 "2008-11-20T04:40:58Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > It’s not like they breed like feral cats, so if in the worst case scenario one or two go wild then cavemen could kill them with stone spearheads so I’m pretty sure we can handle one. Right, but where are we going to find cavemen with stone spearheads? > [@](#): > > I’ve read that they are more closely related to the Indian and the African elephants than Indian and African elephants are to each other. . . Is that even possible? ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/29 "2008-11-20T05:32:52Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > What if we made a virus that bumped us all off before I could gloat that AGW ended up being a bust? What are you talking about? I thought [Australian Gastroenterology Week](http://www.gesa.org.au/agw.cfm) was a huge success! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/30 "2008-11-20T06:09:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Personally, I think we should look at cloning the species whose extinction was, what’s the word, androgenic. Fix the problems we created, first. Then the themepark, after we’ve restocked the Dodos. Nitpick: Anthropogenic. “Andro-” as a root means “man”, as in specifically male, while “anthropo-” means “human”. > [@](#): > > Is that even possible? Not under a cladistic definition of closeness of relatedness. Mammoths are closer to Asian elephants than either mammoths or Asians are to Africans. ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/31 "2008-11-20T06:19:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Nitpick: Anthropogenic. “Andro-” as a root means “man”, as in specifically male, while “anthropo-” means “human” Don’t you know it is always the man’s fault? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/32 "2008-11-20T06:53:57Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Right, but where are we going to find cavemen with stone spearheads? I think the Geico cavemen have jumped the shark and will be available soon. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/33 "2008-11-20T06:55:02Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I’m actually psyched about this. I’d be more psyched if the discovery weren’t made by American scientists, since they, no doubt, and through no fault of their own, would be restricted in the types and extent of experimentation that could be done, and possibly what would be shared, what with American Christianity’s moralist’s penchant for irrationally attempting to squelch scientific progress. Actually, it’s my understanding that Europeans are the ones with the major issues with genetic engineering - hence all the protests against “frankenfoods.” Americans don’t seem to have a problem with anything that doesn’t actually involve human DNA. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/34 "2008-11-20T08:06:15Z")
Hell Yes! ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/35 "2008-11-20T09:59:14Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Personally, I think we should look at cloning the species whose extinction was, what’s the word, androgenic. Fix the problems we created, first. Then the themepark, after we’ve restocked the Dodos. That doesn’t actually fix the problems, it just creates new ones. When the naturally born species goes extinct, it’s extinct. Making photocopies isn’t exactly going to cut it. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/36 "2008-11-20T10:11:28Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > \*\*We can clone woolly mammoths. Should we? \*\* > > On a serious note, I say yes, definitely yes. If we can do it we should. It’d be a major scientific achievement that would spur others. Mammoth DNA is 99.4% identical to existing elephants. It’d be interesting to see just what that .6% would get you. > > I’m actually psyched about this. I’d be more psyched if the discovery weren’t made by American scientists, since they, no doubt, and through no fault of their own, would be restricted in the types and extent of experimentation that could be done, and possibly what would be shared, what with American Christianity’s moralist’s penchant for irrationally attempting to squelch scientific progress. > > It probably would have been better to have the Russians, Swiss, or French make this type of discovery, where progress could proceed unfettered by a moralist element with too much sway. Screw that, give me the papers, the technology, and a volcano lair/moonbase with a particle cannon doom ray (or some security and a loaded rifle, I’m not picky) and I’ll do it in lieu of what those [del]mortals[/del] guys say. I was planning on becoming a mad scientist ANYWAY, this would be a great jumping point. In other words, yes we should do it, for all the reasons listed above, because we can, because it would show scientific progress and the most important factor… Rule of Cool. Now if only we could do the first mammoth cloning… IN SPACE! ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/37 "2008-11-20T12:48:39Z")
Yes. But then, I also think we should make chimp/human hybrids in test tubes. So my judgment is not to be trusted in these matters. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/38 "2008-11-20T13:11:36Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Actually, it’s my understanding that Europeans are the ones with the major issues with genetic engineering - hence all the protests against “frankenfoods.” Americans don’t seem to have a problem with anything that doesn’t actually involve human DNA. Genetically modified food animals is a different issue. In this case there is a fear of cancer causing immune regulators and growth hormones, as well as viruses, simply requiring additional research, which I’m sure will be done, and the concerns ultimately minimized, if not eliminated. Cloning, on the other hand, based on what I’ve read, and scientists involved in genetic research I’ve met in my travels for work, is not something the European scientific community, or community in general, has a problem with at all. Americans, generally, are concerned that any research in this direction will ultimately lead to the cloning of humans, which the American Christian evangelical and fundamentalist movement, and their all too powerful surrogates in government, will not abide. ---
**Author:** ![ethelbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/39 "2008-11-20T13:51:52Z")
Can we make small ones that we can have as pets? Perhaps we can engineer them to have multiple asses. Sorry, didn’t see that this was in Great Debates. What the hell am I doing in GD? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/40 "2008-11-20T16:15:45Z")
Such a clone would look like a mammoth, but would inevitably act like the zoo elephant that birthed it and from which it would model behaviors. Animals are a combination of their physical bodies and their behaviors. What you are discussing here isn’t bringing back the mammoth. It’s actually a project to develop a hairy zoo elephant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561.md?page=3)