bikinibikes t1_jebe6vo wrote on March 30, 2023 at 7:57 PM

Reply to comment by Spokane89 in ELI5 Why haven't scientists cloned extinct animals such as the dodo, the Caspian tiger, etc.? by LesChatsVerts

On that second point, could a pelt be used? Or does the process of preserving a pelt render the DNA unusable?

Edit: clarified the question

Spokane89 t1_jeben20 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 8:00 PM

A lot of pelts are treated with things like arsenic or mercury which really fucks up DNA. They have been able to get samples off pelts, they did with tasmanian devils a few years back, but I'm not sure how viable that in regards to cloning.

bikinibikes t1_jebjp5q wrote on March 30, 2023 at 8:32 PM

Ah that's what I thought. Thanks!