14 Sep 1999 AUSTRALIA:
Support for Tassie tiger clone project.
By Anne Barbeliuk.
An international organisation known as "the world's university" has thrown its support behind a bid to clone the Tasmanian tiger. The California-based cyberuni.org, inc, yesterday said it wanted to work on the project. "We would welcome any opportunity to be involved in the Tasmanian tiger project," said co-founder Dr Rhys Cullen. He said such research had numerous positive spin-offs, such as genes from extinct species being incorporated into existing animals for commercial purposes. Dr Cullen said such a plan was already under way in New Zealand. "Scientists from Otago University are reputed to have isolated the growth hormone gene of the moa, which stood up to 3m tall," he said. "If this gene were incorporated into ostriches, there is the potential that a superior meat-producing bird could result." Dr Cullen was commenting on a plan announced last week to clone the Tasmanian tiger. The Australian Museum is embarking on the project with a $20,000 grant from the NSW Government and a trust underpinned by a private donation.