Breeding back
Encyclopedia
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
or domesticated breed, which may still be present in the larger gene pool
Gene pool
In population genetics, a gene pool is the complete set of unique alleles in a species or population.- Description :A large gene pool indicates extensive genetic diversity, which is associated with robust populations that can survive bouts of intense selection...
of the overall species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
or those of multiple interbreedable species.
Breeding back is controversial, especially claims that an extinct animal has been recreated. Similar appearance (phenotypical
Phenotype
A phenotype is an organism's observable characteristics or traits: such as its morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, behavior, and products of behavior...
reconstruction) does not assure similar behavior or biology. For some of the animals that are being bred back, questions remain about the ecological niche
Ecological niche
In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in its ecosystem to each other; e.g. a dolphin could potentially be in another ecological niche from one that travels in a different pod if the members of these pods utilize significantly different food...
, hardiness, and disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
resistance of the original creatures. For instance, the aurochs
Aurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
died out almost 400 years ago and the records kept cannot definitively answer some of these questions.
Dogs
The American Alsatian dog breed has been created to resemble the bone and body structure of the Dire WolfDire Wolf
The Dire Wolf, Canis dirus, is an extinct carnivorous mammal of the genus Canis, and was most common in North America and South America from the Irvingtonian stage to the Rancholabrean stage of the Pleistocene epoch living 1.80 Ma – 10,000 years ago, existing for approximately .- Relationships...
, although not the temperament. Other dog breeds that attempt to recreate a 'wolf-look', without actually cross breeding with wolves, are the Tamaskan Dog
Tamaskan dog
The Tamaskan Dog is a rare dog breed of sleddog type, originating from Finland. It is a highly versatile breed that is known to excel in agility, obedience and working trials. It is also capable of pulling sleds, which is inherited from its Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute ancestors...
, Utonagan
Utonagan
The Utonagan is a breed of dog that resembles a wolf, but in fact is a mix of three breeds of domestic dog: Alaskan Malamute, German Shepherd, and Siberian Husky.-Appearance:...
, and the Northern Inuit dog breeds.
Some speculate that it may be possible to breed back the now extinct Japanese Wolf
Japanese Wolf
The Hokkaidō Wolf, known in Japan as the , is one of the two extinct subspecies of Canis lupus that have been called the Japanese Wolf. The other is the Honshū Wolf.This endemic wolf of Japan occupied the island of Hokkaidō...
, since Asian wolves possibly crossed with Japanese wolfdogs.
Grazing animals
Other selectively bred examples of breeding back include that of the aurochsAurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
, the extinct forerunner of domestic cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
. The products of these attempts are called the Heck cattle
Heck cattle
Heck Cattle are a hardy breed of domestic cattle. They are the result of an attempt to breed back the aurochs, which became extinct in 1627, from modern aurochs-derived cattle...
. The Heck horse
Heck horse
Heck horse is a horse breed that resembles the extinct wild equine, the Tarpan, . The breed was created by the German zoologist brothers Heinz Heck and Lutz Heck, director of the Berlin Zoo, at the Tierpark Hellabrunn in Germany in their attempt to breed back the tarpan...
, a phenotypic copy of the tarpan has also been produced, although it lacks the upright manes.
Another prominent breeding back effort is the Quagga Project
Quagga Project
The Quagga Project is an attempt by a group in South Africa to bring back the quagga from extinction and reintroduce it into reserves in its former habitat....
to bring back the extinct subspecies of the Plains Zebra
Plains Zebra
The plains zebra , also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa...
called Quagga
Quagga
The quagga is an extinct subspecies of the plains zebra, which was once found in great numbers in South Africa's Cape Province and the southern part of the Orange Free State. It was distinguished from other zebras by having the usual vivid marks on the front part of the body only...
.
Back breeding is also being used to recreate domestic breeds that have disappeared, such as the Cumberland Pig
Cumberland Pig
The Cumberland Pig was a breed of domestic pig originating in the North of England; it was used to produce local delicacies the Cumberland sausage and Cumberland ham...
.
Back breeding in the wild
Back breeding is also sometimes alleged to occur in feralFeral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
animal populations. It is not certain if "primitive" feral breeds (such as of sheep or pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s) are so only because their ancestors were of primitive domestic breeds or if they have had a kind of natural back breeding.
It is widely accepted that pigs will readily "go feral" and in the case of the introduced Razorback
Razorback
Razorback is an Americanism, loosely applied to any type of feral pig or wild boar in North America. The term has also appeared in Australia, to describe said animals in that country.-Introduction to the Americas:...
s to the USA, pigs seem to revert to a 'wild boar' like state in not only appearance but also behavior and hardiness. Some individuals identified as European wildcat
European Wildcat
The European Wildcat is a subspecies of the wildcat that inhabits forests of Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, as well as Scotland, Turkey and the Caucasus Mountains; it has been extirpated from Scandinavia, England, and Wales. Some authorities restrict F. s...
s are suspected to be descended feral domestic cats.