First clone of US endangered species announced

Scientists announced the first successful cloning of a U.S. endangered species: a black-footed ferret.

The success gives conservationists hope to see other species returned to the wild, though the process will require patience. The process required the use of a tame domestic ferret, and a second clone did not survive. Other species that could benefit from cloning include a Mongolian wild horse, which was cloned and last summer born at a Texas facility, and the extinct passenger pigeon. "Biotechnology and genomic data can really make a difference on the ground with conservation efforts," said Ben Novak, lead scientist with Revive & Restore, a biotechnology-focused conservation nonprofit that coordinated the ferret and horse clonings.