Researchers are exploring an innovative approach to saving endangered species by using animal dung as part of the “Poo Zoo” project.
Poo Zoo focuses on extracting living cells from fresh faeces, which could then be used to aid conservation efforts.
Suzannah Williams from Oxford University is leading the Poo Zoo team in collaboration with Chester Zoo and Revive & Restore, a nonprofit wildlife conservation organisation using biotechnology.
Non-invasive technique for cell collection
Williams’ team is developing a non-invasive technique for viable cell collection and culture across multiple endangered species, pioneering efforts to help prevent extinction.
They have successfully collected live cells from animal dung, including from elephants and mice. Cells shed from animals’ intestines can remain viable if the poo is fresh.
These cells could be cultured to create sperm and eggs, providing a new method for assisted reproductive technologies, like cloning and IVF.
This approach could help species thrive by boosting genetic diversity and allowing for gene editing to improve resilience against disease and environmental changes.
“It’s very, very early stages, but so far, it’s feeling very positive,” said Williams.
Challenges with the Poo Zoo technique remain, including the need to filter bacteria from the dung and the complexity of animal reproduction.
“The idea is to isolate the cells from the poop, and to remove all the bacteria to make them clean as it’s a dirty environment,” Williams told Newsround.
New tool for wildlife conservation
Despite this, the team hopes to develop Poo Zoo into a powerful tool in wildlife conservation to be used alongside traditional methods.
Elsewhere in the UK, Blackpool Zoo has its own poo project on the go.
The attraction is using coloured edible glitter to identify the sparkly dung of its female Asian elephants and monitor their reproductive cycles.
Adam Kenyon, section head at Blackpool Zoo, said it’s a “tried and tested method for these types of investigations”.
Images courtesy of Chester Zoo
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