26 lines
6.5 KiB
Markdown
26 lines
6.5 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Frozen zoo"
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chunk: 1/3
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source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_zoo"
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category: "reference"
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tags: "science, encyclopedia"
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date_saved: "2026-05-05T09:06:16.788437+00:00"
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instance: "kb-cron"
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---
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A frozen zoo is a storage facility in which genetic materials taken from animals (e.g. DNA, sperm, eggs, embryos and live tissue) are stored at very low temperatures (−196 °C) in tanks of liquid nitrogen. Material preserved in this way can be stored indefinitely and used for artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, and cloning. There are a few frozen zoos across the world that implement this technology for conservation efforts. Several different species have been introduced to this technology, including the Pyrenean ibex, Black-footed ferret, and potentially the white rhinoceros.
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== Overview ==
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The first frozen zoo was established at the San Diego Zoo by pathologist Kurt Benirschke in 1972. At the time there was no technology available to make use of the collection, but Benirschke believed such technology would be developed in the future. The frozen zoo idea was later supported in Gregory Benford's 1992 paper proposing a Library of Life. Zoos such as the San Diego Zoo and research programs such as the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species cryopreserve genetic material in order to protect the diversity of the gene pool of endangered species, or to provide for a prospective reintroduction of such extinct species as the Tasmanian tiger and the mammoth.
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Gathering material for a frozen zoo is rendered simple by the abundance of sperm in males. Sperm can be taken from an animal following death. The production of eggs, which in females is usually low, can be increased through hormone treatment to obtain 10–20 oocytes, dependent on the species. Some frozen zoos prefer to fertilize eggs and freeze the resulting embryo, as embryos are more resilient under the cryopreservation process. Some centers also collect skin cell samples of endangered animals or extinct species. The Scripps Research Institute has successfully made skin cells into cultures of special cells called induced pluripotent stem cells (IPS cells). It is theoretically possible to make sperm and egg cells from these IPS cells.
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Several animals whose cells were preserved in frozen zoos have been cloned to increase the genetic diversity of endangered species, as of 2021. One attempt to clone an extinct species was made in 2003; the newborn Pyrenean ibex died of a development disorder which may have been linked to the cloning, and there are not enough genetic samples in frozen zoos to re-create a breeding Pyrenean ibex population.
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== Facilities ==
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The Frozen Zoo at the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research currently stores a collection of 11,500 samples from over 1,300 species and subspecies. It has acted as a forebear to similar projects at other zoos in the United States and Europe. However, there are still less than a dozen frozen zoos worldwide.
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At the United Arab Emirates' Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW) in Sharjah, the embryos stored include the extremely endangered Gordon's wildcat (Felis silvestris gordoni) and the Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) (of which there are only 50 in the wild).
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The Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, affiliated with the University of New Orleans, is maintaining a frozen zoo. In 2000 the Center implanted a frozen-thawed embryo from the highly endangered African wildcat into the uterus of a domestic house cat, resulting in a healthy male wildcat.
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The Pan-Smithsonian Cryo-Initiative (PSCI), established in 2007 and led by the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), manages a biobank of over 1.5 million samples from 14,500 species. Its collections include a specialized Milk Repository, housing 16,000 samples from over 200 species of exotic animals.
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In Malaysia, the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) established the country's first frozen zoo at the Institute of Planetary Survival for Sustainable Well-being (PLANETIIUM). This facility focuses on the long term preservation of cells and tissues through specialized IVF laboratories. In 2016, in collaboration with the Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA), the institute successfully collected and stored genetic material from the last three Sumatran rhinoceroses in Malaysia.
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The Frozen Ark is a frozen zoo established in 2004 and jointly managed by the Zoological Society of London, the London Natural History Museum, and the University of Nottingham. While the charity maintains its institutional base at the University of Nottingham, its research is now primarily conducted at Cardiff University. This organization operates as a charity with many different departments including the DNA laboratory, consortium, taxon expert groups, and the database. In the DNA laboratory, samples are contained after collection from scientists, and different research projects are conducted there. The consortium acts as a bridge to bring together different, but important, groups from zoos, aquariums, museums, and universities. The taxon expert groups monitor the major phyla and lists like the IUCN Red List. The database is the essential piece as it holds all reports and records needed to perform all of the other functions for the charity. The hope for the future is for zoos and aquariums to be able to collect samples from their threatened and/or endangered species in house to help with conservation efforts. The collection and freezing of these samples allows for the distribution of gametes among populations. Samples can be collected from living hosts and from deceased hosts as well.
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The University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center is building a frozen zoo. RBC Director Steven Stice and animal and dairy science assistant professor Franklin West created the facility with the thought of saving endangered cat species. The scientists have already extracted cells from a Sumatran tiger, which could be used for artificial insemination. Artificial insemination provides a remedy for animals who, due to anatomical or physiological reasons, are unable to reproduce in the natural way. Reproduction of stored genetic material also allows for the fostering of genetic improvements, and the prevention of inbreeding. Modern technology allows for genetic manipulation in animals without keeping them in captivity. However, the success of their restoration into the wild would require the application of new science and a sufficient amount of previously collected material. |