Question

How can animal cloning bring back extinct animals? Can someone tell me how scientists do this or the process?

Answer 1

Scientists take the cell of an extinct animal (to obtain their DNA) and get it to reproduce. They can then create an embryo, and put it into a surrogate animal for nourishment until it is born.

Explanation:

For example, the last known Pinta Island Tortoise (Lonesome George) died a few years ago. If scientists were able to obtain a living cell from him, they could get it to reproduce and create a multitude of cells. This could be programmed into an embryo. They would then implant this into one of this tortoise's closest relatives and that animal will act as its mother. This way, the DNA of the embryo will be the exact same as Lonesome George.

But for an extinct animal like the Woolly Mammoth, a living cell is not possible to get. Scientists say that they could put an intact nucleus of a dead cell into an elephant egg (closest living relative) with its own nucleus removed. Then this egg will have the exact same DNA as a Woolly Mammoth and it should start dividing into an embryo. After this, they will have to implant the embryo into the elephant's womb.

This is not possible yet. There are still many problems in the process and the aftermath.

Sources:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/04/species-revival-bringing-back-extinct-animals/

https://www.seeker.com/should-we-have-cloned-lonesome-george-1765843128.html