‘Poo Zoo’ project aims to save endangered species with animal dung

• Researchers in the United Kingdom are investigating the use of animal dung for endangered species conservation efforts. Through the “Poo Zoo” project, the team aims to extract living cells shed into feces, providing a non-invasive way to support breeding programs and preserve genetic diversity.
• If successful, the extracted cells could be cultured to create sperm and eggs, enabling advanced reproductive technologies like cloning and in-vitro fertilization to aid species at risk of extinction.
• Initial experiments have successfully recovered live cells from the dung of animals such as elephants and mice but researchers acknowledge the process is still in its early stages.

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A team of researchers in the United Kingdom is attempting to use animal dung for endangered species conservation. The project, dubbed “Poo Zoo,” is led by an Oxford University professor in collaboration with Chester Zoo and the conservation nonprofit Revive & Restore.

What is the Poo Zoo project?

This Initiative aims to extract living cells from fresh animal feces. According to scientists, these cells are shed from animals’ intestines and then naturally expelled in dung.

Scientists said by collecting these cells, researchers hope to develop a non-invasive method of gathering genetic material from rare and threatened species.

How can animal dung help conservation efforts?

If successful, the technique could pave the way for culturing these cells in a laboratory setting to create sperm and eggs. This advancement could eventually enable the use of advanced reproductive technologies such as cloning and in-vitro fertilization to assist in the survival of species facing extinction.

According to the team, scientists have already successfully extracted live cells from the feces of animals including elephants and mice.

Early results suggest the method has the potential to enhance genetic diversity as well as allow for gene editing, which can increase species’ resilience to disease and environmental changes.

What happens next?

However, researchers caution that the project is still in its early stages. One of the main challenges lies in separating viable animal cells from the bacteria and other materials naturally present in feces. Researchers said the process is difficult and they are still refining the technique.