# 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:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/61 "2008-11-21T19:57:17Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I want a quagga [Working on it…](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quagga_Project) Just up the road from my house, actually. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/62 "2008-11-21T20:45:47Z")
I saw some historical documents of dwarf mammoths being used as household appliances by cavemen, such as vacuum cleaners or showers. That would be cool, and green. ---
**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 21, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/63 "2008-11-21T21:13:33Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I saw some historical documents of dwarf mammoths being used as household appliances by cavemen, such as vacuum cleaners or showers. > > That would be cool, and green. HAhahahahahahaaaaahaha!!! Thanks. I needed that laugh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/64 "2008-11-21T23:56:02Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Anyway, yes, a dwarf mammoth ought to be about as manageable as, say, a pet Brahma bull. Shrink them further and use them as guide animals! They use miniature horses that way. Think of the benefits of a trained mini mammoth! ---
**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 22, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/65 "2008-11-22T00:09:19Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Think of the benefits of a trained mini mammoth! The terms are mutually exclusive.🙂 Maybe they could dig truffles or something…Take them fishing to dig up earthworms and hold spare fishing rods with their trunks. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/66 "2008-11-22T00:14:28Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > The terms are mutually exclusive.🙂 I’d name mine “Jumbo Shrimp”! 😃 > [@](#): > > Maybe they could dig truffles or something…Take them fishing to dig up earthworms and hold spare fishing rods with their trunks. Have them hold a painting while you go across the room to see if it’s straight. ---
**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 22, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/67 "2008-11-22T00:28:39Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Have them hold a painting while you go across the room to see if it’s straight. But see, if you had a _real_ mammoth, he could tilt the house for you so that the picture would hang straight. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/68 "2008-11-22T00:38:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > But see, if you had a _real_ mammoth, he could tilt the house for you so that the picture would hang straight. Okay, I want the full-size model and the compact model for indoor use. ---
**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 22, 2008, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/69 "2008-11-22T01:21:50Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Okay, I want the full-size model and the compact model for indoor use. Yes, Ma’m. Would you like the optional tea tray for the mini? We have a special this week on a trailer hitch for the full-size. You can save a lot in towing fees if your car breaks down. Should you like to upgrade to the commute package, we have a special rate on [howdas](http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Elephant-with-Howda-Amhehari-India-Posters_i889274_.htm) this month. ---
**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 22, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/70 "2008-11-22T01:32:18Z")
Obviously we need to add some mammoth DNA to the critter in the sub-human thread. Those fellas are useful. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/71 "2008-11-24T19:43:55Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Are woolly mammoths any good for, you know, wool? They probably had an undercoating similar to the muskox, so that could be a lucrative product: [Qiviut - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qiviut) ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/72 "2008-11-25T02:27:06Z")
I asked a [similar question](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=428396) a while back. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/73 "2008-11-25T03:20:03Z")
Hell yeah. We could send the mammoths to [Mars](http://www.amazon.com/Icebones-Stephen-Baxter/dp/0061020214/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227583145&sr=8-1)! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/74 "2008-11-25T04:23:57Z")
Fuck, yeah. Sabretooths, too. ---
**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 25, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/75 "2008-11-25T04:43:09Z")
Sabreteeth? ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561/76 "2008-11-25T09:41:41Z")
I agree with **xtisme** , its not like if we succeed at it we’ll just let them out to wander around and somehow cause a collapse of the biosphere through some mechanism that us lowly humans could never understand… Even if we were to let it out I bet that the million plus things us humans do would far more outweigh any supposed harm a few more elephant sized animals would cause. And besides… If let out into the wild _someone_ would kill it to say they did… rendering it back to extinct. Self checking… in a stupid way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-clone-woolly-mammoths-should-we/473561.md?page=3)