What a Mammoth Task

By Senthil Sethuraman

What is a woolly mammoth? A woolly mammoth is a mammal which is a vertebrae.Woolly mammoths have been around for 5 million years but were extinct 10,000 years ago on 1650 B.C.They belonged in the family of elephants.They have long and strong tusks in order to survive predators. They have a thick layer of fur on their skin to keep them warm

during the freezing tundras.Resurrecting an extinct species would benefit our eco system but it takes hard work and people would again kill it for its tusks.But there are benefits and disbenifits regarding this.

Benefits

As said above, it would improve our ecosystem and decrease the rate of global warming and make the weather patterns more efficient.It will make us live in a healthy environment. It would help us understand and explore more scientific opportunity.It would also help us understand more about evolution of animals and find different creatures.

Some argue that bringing back extinct species is a form of conservation, albeit a novel one. By resurrecting woolly mammoths, scientists could prevent the loss of genetic diversity and preserve the evolutionary legacy of these magnificent creatures for future generations.

Disbenefits:

The mammoths might not have a chance of survival since the climate and ecosystem has changed due to human pollution or other natural disaster. The mammoths might destroy the ecosystem instead of helping it.

Some argue that the resources and expertise required to bring back woolly mammoths could be better spent on more pressing conservation efforts, such as protecting endangered species and preserving existing habitats. Pursuing mammoth de-extinction may divert attention and resources away from more urgent conservation priorities.

The debate surrounding the resurrection of woolly mammoths is scientific, ethical, and ecological considerations. While there are potential benefits to bringing back these ancient creatures, including ecological restoration and scientific advancement, there are also significant concerns regarding animal welfare, ecological impact, and resource allocation. Ultimately, whether scientists should pursue the resurrection of woolly mammoths depends on careful consideration of these factors and a commitment to responsible stewardship of our planet's biodiversity.

This blog is part of a series of entries received for the OpenTakshashila National Science Day Blog Contest 2024 on the theme of ‘Scientists are bringing the woolly mammoth back - should they?’ The blog is republished with permission. The views belong to the author(s) and do not represent Takshashila’s position on the issue.