With her long body, stubby legs, and brown and white markings, Elizabeth Ann looks like any other black-footed ferret. But she has a secret identity that makes her special: She’s a
A clone is an exact copy of a plant or an animal, similar to an identical twin. Animals that are clones have the exact same
Elizabeth Ann is the first clone of an endangered animal native to North America. She has the exact same DNA as a black-footed ferret that died about 30 years ago named Willa. To clone Willa, scientists collected her DNA and combined it with cells from a domestic ferret (see How to Clone a Ferret). Another domestic ferret gave birth to Elizabeth Ann on December 10, 2020.
Scientists bred Elizabeth Ann for an important reason. Wild black-footed ferrets are in danger of dying out. Scientists hoped that if Elizabeth Ann could have healthy offspring, she might be able to help save her