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A comment on Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’ due to human destruction, scientists warn. Parent comment

Re:Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’ due to human destructi... by giantg2 on Friday September 11, 2020 @06:52PM (#24448150)
It doesn't really matter if we collect the genetic material if we aren't reversing the actions that caused it to become extinct. For example, arable land is shrinking and population growth as well as an increase in consumption will not leave much (if any) suitable space for some types of wildlife.
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Re:Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’ due to human destructi... by samatman on Friday September 11, 2020 @07:28PM (#24448408)
Which is why I specifically said that those actions are important also.

But it does matter regardless, because rewilding in the future is distinctly possible. If we're able to rebuild an acceptable habitat, and we have the genetic information on hand, we can conceivably unextinct a species and reintroduce it. Without the genetic material, this is impossible.

It's similar to the logic of cryostorage, although I would estimate the odds of it working for wild species to be much higher than those for frozen humans, let alone their brains.

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Re:Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’ due to human destructi... by giantg2 on Friday September 11, 2020 @07:42PM (#24448523)
I guess you're just much more optimistic than me when it comes to shrinking the population below the current level and reducing consumption.
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Re:Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’ due to human destructi... by samatman on Friday September 11, 2020 @07:52PM (#24448575)
The second derivative of population is decidedly negative, as is the slope throughout the high-consumption regions of the world; optimism on that front is rational.
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Re:Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’ due to human destructi... by giantg2 on Friday September 11, 2020 @08:13PM (#24448696)
We'll all be long dead before that results in a population less than today's, so I guess it's a moot point either way.
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