Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Muskan Arora
Situated beneath a vast wildlife park in San Diego, California, lies the world's oldest and largest Frozen Zoo, an essential stronghold in the fight against extinction.
Established nearly half a century ago, the Frozen Zoo preserved over 11,000 samples from more than 1,300 species, including endangered and extinct animals, serving as a crucial resource in the face of the escalating biodiversity crisis.
Marlys Houck, the curator of the Frozen Zoo, heads a team of skilled female scientists entrusted with the responsibility of collecting and preserving tissue samples from deceased animals at the zoo.
Each day, the team meticulously cultivates cells from the collected tissue, which are then cryogenically frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen, holding the potential for future revival.
With every lost species, the opportunity to add to the Frozen Zoo diminishes, intensifying the team's efforts to safeguard invaluable genetic material before it vanishes forever.
For Houck and her colleagues, their work transcends mere occupation; it embodies a profound sense of duty as stewards of the future, striving to offer endangered species a chance at survival amidst environmental challenges.
Originating from the initiative of pathologist Kurt Benirschke in 1972, the zoo's inception aimed to collect animal samples for genetic research, driven by the principle of preserving resources for future comprehension.
Despite initial limitations, advancements in genetic research have expanded the utility and relevance of the Frozen Zoo, reinforcing its status as an indispensable repository of genetic diversity.
As the world grapples with ecological crises, the San Diego Frozen Zoo stands as a beacon of hope, symbolizing humanity's commitment to safeguarding the rich tapestry of life on Earth.