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Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things
**A Library Journal Best Book of 2015 **
**A Christian Science Monitor Top Ten Book of September**
In a world dominated by people and rapid climate change, species large and small are increasingly vulnerable to extinction. In Resurrection Science , journalist M. R. O'Connor explores the extreme measures scientists are taking to try and save them, from captive breeding and genetic management to de-extinction. Paradoxically, the more we intervene to save species, the less wild they often become. In stories of sixteenth-century galleon excavations, panther-tracking in Florida swamps, ancient African rainforests, Neanderthal tool-making, and cryogenic DNA banks, O'Connor investigates the philosophical questions of an age in which we "play god" with earth's biodiversity.
Each chapter in this beautifully written book focuses on a unique species--from the charismatic northern white rhinoceros to the infamous passenger pigeon--and the people entwined in the animals' fates. Incorporating natural history and evolutionary biology with conversations with eminent ethicists, O'Connor's narrative goes to the heart of the human What should we preserve of wilderness as we hurtle toward a future in which technology is present in nearly every aspect of our lives? How can we co-exist with species when our existence and their survival appear to be pitted against one another?
**A Christian Science Monitor Top Ten Book of September**
In a world dominated by people and rapid climate change, species large and small are increasingly vulnerable to extinction. In Resurrection Science , journalist M. R. O'Connor explores the extreme measures scientists are taking to try and save them, from captive breeding and genetic management to de-extinction. Paradoxically, the more we intervene to save species, the less wild they often become. In stories of sixteenth-century galleon excavations, panther-tracking in Florida swamps, ancient African rainforests, Neanderthal tool-making, and cryogenic DNA banks, O'Connor investigates the philosophical questions of an age in which we "play god" with earth's biodiversity.
Each chapter in this beautifully written book focuses on a unique species--from the charismatic northern white rhinoceros to the infamous passenger pigeon--and the people entwined in the animals' fates. Incorporating natural history and evolutionary biology with conversations with eminent ethicists, O'Connor's narrative goes to the heart of the human What should we preserve of wilderness as we hurtle toward a future in which technology is present in nearly every aspect of our lives? How can we co-exist with species when our existence and their survival appear to be pitted against one another?
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2015
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2006 people want to read
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September 1, 2016
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fascinating look at the current conservation movement, its history and its future. The book has eight chapters, each dedicated to the on-going work with a specific species, ranging from the very unusual spray toads in eastern Africa, to nearly-extinct pumas in the Florida swamps, to the Hawaiian crows and northern white rhinos.
This engaging book is expertly researched, and the data is presented and analyzed from all angles: political, environmental, financial, and emotional. Ms. O’Connor lays out a meticulous story, weaving the tales of species facing imminent extinction with the thought-provoking stories of the men and women trying to save these species. The author obviously has a passion for their work, as well as a passion for presenting the entire picture, forcing the reader to face tough ethical issues head-on. Her approach isn’t overbearing, surprisingly, and comes across as very balance and forthright. She presents questions to which there are few answers, and it strikes deeply.
I don’t necessarily agree with some of the material presented, but it was a quick, easy read, and a good place for someone to start into the world of conservationism, the science of de-extinction (bringing species back from the brink of extinction), and a thoughtful presentation of the arguments both for and against these theories.
This is a fascinating look at the current conservation movement, its history and its future. The book has eight chapters, each dedicated to the on-going work with a specific species, ranging from the very unusual spray toads in eastern Africa, to nearly-extinct pumas in the Florida swamps, to the Hawaiian crows and northern white rhinos.
This engaging book is expertly researched, and the data is presented and analyzed from all angles: political, environmental, financial, and emotional. Ms. O’Connor lays out a meticulous story, weaving the tales of species facing imminent extinction with the thought-provoking stories of the men and women trying to save these species. The author obviously has a passion for their work, as well as a passion for presenting the entire picture, forcing the reader to face tough ethical issues head-on. Her approach isn’t overbearing, surprisingly, and comes across as very balance and forthright. She presents questions to which there are few answers, and it strikes deeply.
I don’t necessarily agree with some of the material presented, but it was a quick, easy read, and a good place for someone to start into the world of conservationism, the science of de-extinction (bringing species back from the brink of extinction), and a thoughtful presentation of the arguments both for and against these theories.
October 2, 2015
To be or not to be, that is the question...
In a period called by scientists the 'Sixth Extinction', the question of conservation has never been more relevant or immediate. But what exactly are we conserving for? What are the moral, ethical and philosophical questions that surround the various types of conservation? In this excellent book, M.R. O'Connor highlights some of the species on the edge of extinction and uses them as jumping off points to look at some of the arguments, from the practical to the esoteric, that surround the whole question of species conservation.
It is a truth that should be universally acknowledged, if it isn't already, that the most interesting books, especially in the field of science, are also the hardest to review. There is barely a page in this book that didn't have me pausing for thought, taking a note, nodding in agreement, becoming outraged, puzzled, saddened, inspired. I could write 20,000 words on it (but I won't!) and still only give the briefest flavour of the ground O'Connor covers. So rather than try to do that, I'm going to look in depth at the first chapter and then restrict myself to a brief overview of the rest.
The Kihansi spray toad has evolved to live in one tiny area of the world only – in the spray zone of a waterfall in the Udzungwa mountains in East Africa. Previously an unknown species, it was only discovered when plans were being developed to use the waterfall as a massive hydro-power project. In line with global rules, a biodiversity survey was carried out to assess the impact of the project, and the little toad suddenly became famous in conservation circles. In short, the project went ahead and despite all the technological efforts that were ploughed, at considerable cost, into saving the toad, it went extinct in the wild. But two colonies of them still exist in separate zoos in the US with hopes that they may one day be reintroduced into a specially adapted environment in their original habitat.
A common enough little story, but O'Connor uses it to raise some of the ethical and philosophical issues around the whole question of conservation...
Should the project have gone ahead knowing the likelihood of it causing the extinction of the toad? O'Connor discusses the desperate need for more electricity if this region of the world is to develop out of its current poverty. Hydro-power is clean energy – is this not exactly what we privileged Westerners want the 'third world' to develop rather than turning to fossil fuel? How will we eradicate poverty if we put biodiversity above human need?
Which leads to the next question – is nature there to 'serve' man or does it have an intrinsic value of its own? Are we its master or its caretaker? Was the toad's existence important before we knew about it? O'Connor ranges fascinatingly through philosophy and ethics in an attempt to elucidate the arguments around this fundamental question.
Can a species really be said to exist if it can't survive in its own habitat? In other words, if the only remaining members of a species are in captivity, is not that species effectively extinct? This leads on to other questions. How quickly do animals in captivity evolve to suit their new surroundings? One of the scientists working with the toads claims that there are already differences between the two colonies. So can they really be said to be the same species as the one in the wild? If they are reintroduced to the wild, what impact will that have? The habitat has in the meantime been evolving to take account of their absence – are we interfering more by trying to turn back the clock?
In order to create a liveable habitat for the toads, a sprinkler system has been installed at enormous cost – this in a region where children routinely die from poverty and preventable diseases. Could the money have been better spent? Bluntly, is the life of a toad worth more or less than the life of a child? How much are we prepared to spend to conserve a species that can no longer survive without perpetual human management? In these circumstances, can it really be considered 'wild' any more... or even 'natural'?
Along the way, O'Connor discusses the suspicion that sometimes greets conservation efforts in Africa caused by the fact that it has so often been done for the benefit of a white elite – for example, safari parks were originally preserved as private hunting grounds, and to create them native people were frequently driven off their traditional lands. And she shows how divided conservationists are over all these questions – with the pragmatic element feeling that the arguments will go on for ever in academia while on the ground extinctions will continue at an ever more rapid rate.
In later chapters, O'Connor goes much further into genetic conservation – gene banks containing millions of samples, including of species already extinct. Should we try to resurrect these species? How far back should we go – the toad? The passenger pigeon? The mammoth? Neanderthal man? We have the genes for them all. The science is nearly there, but what would the impact be? Are genes alone enough, or is a species defined as much by learned behaviour as genetics? And will these resurrected species be considered 'real' or 'artificial' – the answer to that will affect how far people are willing to go to conserve them should the species approach extinction again. Will the idea that extinct species can be resurrected in the future make governments less willing to spend money on conservation today?
I hope I've been able to give a tiny flavour of how fascinating I found this book. O'Connor is an investigative journalist rather than a scientist and this shows through in her ability both to present complex arguments clearly enough for the non-academic reader, and to take an objective view of the subject. She raises and debates the questions, detailing the arguments put forward by the leaders in the field, but she doesn't force answers on the reader. She leaves us to think it through for ourselves, and shows us that each case is different, creating its own unique set of questions. From Northern white rhinos and the effects of war, to the panther in the south-eastern USA and its impact on the American character and psyche, the book is stuffed to bursting point with the most current thinking on the ethics of conservation, all written in an immensely readable and accessible way. Without exception, the most interesting and wide-ranging book on the subject I have ever read and one that has made me much more aware of the complexities of the debate. Earns my highest recommendation.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, St Martin's Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
In a period called by scientists the 'Sixth Extinction', the question of conservation has never been more relevant or immediate. But what exactly are we conserving for? What are the moral, ethical and philosophical questions that surround the various types of conservation? In this excellent book, M.R. O'Connor highlights some of the species on the edge of extinction and uses them as jumping off points to look at some of the arguments, from the practical to the esoteric, that surround the whole question of species conservation.
It is a truth that should be universally acknowledged, if it isn't already, that the most interesting books, especially in the field of science, are also the hardest to review. There is barely a page in this book that didn't have me pausing for thought, taking a note, nodding in agreement, becoming outraged, puzzled, saddened, inspired. I could write 20,000 words on it (but I won't!) and still only give the briefest flavour of the ground O'Connor covers. So rather than try to do that, I'm going to look in depth at the first chapter and then restrict myself to a brief overview of the rest.
The Kihansi spray toad has evolved to live in one tiny area of the world only – in the spray zone of a waterfall in the Udzungwa mountains in East Africa. Previously an unknown species, it was only discovered when plans were being developed to use the waterfall as a massive hydro-power project. In line with global rules, a biodiversity survey was carried out to assess the impact of the project, and the little toad suddenly became famous in conservation circles. In short, the project went ahead and despite all the technological efforts that were ploughed, at considerable cost, into saving the toad, it went extinct in the wild. But two colonies of them still exist in separate zoos in the US with hopes that they may one day be reintroduced into a specially adapted environment in their original habitat.
A common enough little story, but O'Connor uses it to raise some of the ethical and philosophical issues around the whole question of conservation...
Should the project have gone ahead knowing the likelihood of it causing the extinction of the toad? O'Connor discusses the desperate need for more electricity if this region of the world is to develop out of its current poverty. Hydro-power is clean energy – is this not exactly what we privileged Westerners want the 'third world' to develop rather than turning to fossil fuel? How will we eradicate poverty if we put biodiversity above human need?
Which leads to the next question – is nature there to 'serve' man or does it have an intrinsic value of its own? Are we its master or its caretaker? Was the toad's existence important before we knew about it? O'Connor ranges fascinatingly through philosophy and ethics in an attempt to elucidate the arguments around this fundamental question.
Can a species really be said to exist if it can't survive in its own habitat? In other words, if the only remaining members of a species are in captivity, is not that species effectively extinct? This leads on to other questions. How quickly do animals in captivity evolve to suit their new surroundings? One of the scientists working with the toads claims that there are already differences between the two colonies. So can they really be said to be the same species as the one in the wild? If they are reintroduced to the wild, what impact will that have? The habitat has in the meantime been evolving to take account of their absence – are we interfering more by trying to turn back the clock?
In order to create a liveable habitat for the toads, a sprinkler system has been installed at enormous cost – this in a region where children routinely die from poverty and preventable diseases. Could the money have been better spent? Bluntly, is the life of a toad worth more or less than the life of a child? How much are we prepared to spend to conserve a species that can no longer survive without perpetual human management? In these circumstances, can it really be considered 'wild' any more... or even 'natural'?
Along the way, O'Connor discusses the suspicion that sometimes greets conservation efforts in Africa caused by the fact that it has so often been done for the benefit of a white elite – for example, safari parks were originally preserved as private hunting grounds, and to create them native people were frequently driven off their traditional lands. And she shows how divided conservationists are over all these questions – with the pragmatic element feeling that the arguments will go on for ever in academia while on the ground extinctions will continue at an ever more rapid rate.
In later chapters, O'Connor goes much further into genetic conservation – gene banks containing millions of samples, including of species already extinct. Should we try to resurrect these species? How far back should we go – the toad? The passenger pigeon? The mammoth? Neanderthal man? We have the genes for them all. The science is nearly there, but what would the impact be? Are genes alone enough, or is a species defined as much by learned behaviour as genetics? And will these resurrected species be considered 'real' or 'artificial' – the answer to that will affect how far people are willing to go to conserve them should the species approach extinction again. Will the idea that extinct species can be resurrected in the future make governments less willing to spend money on conservation today?
I hope I've been able to give a tiny flavour of how fascinating I found this book. O'Connor is an investigative journalist rather than a scientist and this shows through in her ability both to present complex arguments clearly enough for the non-academic reader, and to take an objective view of the subject. She raises and debates the questions, detailing the arguments put forward by the leaders in the field, but she doesn't force answers on the reader. She leaves us to think it through for ourselves, and shows us that each case is different, creating its own unique set of questions. From Northern white rhinos and the effects of war, to the panther in the south-eastern USA and its impact on the American character and psyche, the book is stuffed to bursting point with the most current thinking on the ethics of conservation, all written in an immensely readable and accessible way. Without exception, the most interesting and wide-ranging book on the subject I have ever read and one that has made me much more aware of the complexities of the debate. Earns my highest recommendation.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, St Martin's Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
September 15, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was phenomenal. M.R. O'Connor did an excellent job of examining not only the question of extinction and the controversial subject of de-extinction, but of asking the very uncomfortable question 'What is a species worth?' What is it that makes a person decide that one species is worth saving over another, and is saving a species from extinction truly a worthwhile endeavor? Does everything have an intrinsic value?
The book is divided into 8 chapters, each focusing upon a different species either going extinct, or possibly being revived. For those interested the subjects of the chapters are as follows:
Spray Toads
Florida Panthers
White Sands Pupfish
Northern Right Whales
Hawaiian Crow
Northern White Rhino
Passenger Pigeon
Neanderthal
Each species discussed raises a different question regarding the course of extinction and conservation. Should we save or protect a species if doing so hurts the human community around it? At what point of hybridization does a species stop being what it originally was? If human interference is largely responsible for the differences between a species that has been fragmented - are they still the original endangered species? What can we do to protect endangered species we know very little about? What if breeding a creature in captivity ends up erasing the very behaviors that were the hallmark of the species? Would reviving a species artificially result in the same species? Is conservation on the ground more worth it than rescuing the genetic data?
These questions and more abound, and are examined from all angles. The result is a book that looks at the ethical questions beyond conservation in a way that I've seldom seen discussed. This book is vitally important, engaging, and thought provoking. I would like nothing more than to see this book in the hands of everyone involved in the environmental movements. It asks uncomfortable questions and raises troubling points that need to be raised.
I can't emphasize enough how much I adored this text.
This book was phenomenal. M.R. O'Connor did an excellent job of examining not only the question of extinction and the controversial subject of de-extinction, but of asking the very uncomfortable question 'What is a species worth?' What is it that makes a person decide that one species is worth saving over another, and is saving a species from extinction truly a worthwhile endeavor? Does everything have an intrinsic value?
The book is divided into 8 chapters, each focusing upon a different species either going extinct, or possibly being revived. For those interested the subjects of the chapters are as follows:
Spray Toads
Florida Panthers
White Sands Pupfish
Northern Right Whales
Hawaiian Crow
Northern White Rhino
Passenger Pigeon
Neanderthal
Each species discussed raises a different question regarding the course of extinction and conservation. Should we save or protect a species if doing so hurts the human community around it? At what point of hybridization does a species stop being what it originally was? If human interference is largely responsible for the differences between a species that has been fragmented - are they still the original endangered species? What can we do to protect endangered species we know very little about? What if breeding a creature in captivity ends up erasing the very behaviors that were the hallmark of the species? Would reviving a species artificially result in the same species? Is conservation on the ground more worth it than rescuing the genetic data?
These questions and more abound, and are examined from all angles. The result is a book that looks at the ethical questions beyond conservation in a way that I've seldom seen discussed. This book is vitally important, engaging, and thought provoking. I would like nothing more than to see this book in the hands of everyone involved in the environmental movements. It asks uncomfortable questions and raises troubling points that need to be raised.
I can't emphasize enough how much I adored this text.
December 17, 2015
Don't be put off by the title; you will not be bombarded by hard science. If anything, it is the philosophy discussions that will make your head spin. O'Connor explores several severely endangered species, and a few extinct ones people wish to resurrect, and explores the ethics and reasonings behind each one. Species extinctions occurred long before man; we've just speeded up the process by exponents. Is it wrong for a suffering country to be denied electricity and modernity because a literal handful of specific frogs grow only in the mist of one single waterfall in the deepest reaches of the jungle, a patch just hundreds of feet wide? Does it make sense to reintroduce cougars into an area that is now a suburban jungle of highways and houses, and people freak out and shoot them on sight? This book will not give you answers, but give you an honest look at all sides of the argument, and leave you to make your own conclusions.
My favorite chapter was on Metaphysical Rhinos, where the thought processes and ideas introduced were both heady and relevant. So you save an animal from extinction, either by captive breeding and re-release, or through genetic manipulation to make them hardier or better adapted or more prolific. Is that then the same animal as you were trying to save? Captive breeding programs that re-released animals found that the animals no longer had any sense of what it meant to be "them", and thus were picked off by predators like popcorn because they had no group-learned behavior to avoid them. If you change a piece of an ecosystem, and then another piece, and then another piece - do you have the same thing you started with, or just a replica of what once was? The questions raised are real, and they are a bit mind-boggling.
This was an enjoyable read. It wasn't astounding, but just a good, interesting enjoyable book that will provoke a lot of good thought, painlessly.
My favorite chapter was on Metaphysical Rhinos, where the thought processes and ideas introduced were both heady and relevant. So you save an animal from extinction, either by captive breeding and re-release, or through genetic manipulation to make them hardier or better adapted or more prolific. Is that then the same animal as you were trying to save? Captive breeding programs that re-released animals found that the animals no longer had any sense of what it meant to be "them", and thus were picked off by predators like popcorn because they had no group-learned behavior to avoid them. If you change a piece of an ecosystem, and then another piece, and then another piece - do you have the same thing you started with, or just a replica of what once was? The questions raised are real, and they are a bit mind-boggling.
This was an enjoyable read. It wasn't astounding, but just a good, interesting enjoyable book that will provoke a lot of good thought, painlessly.
October 31, 2015
Received via NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an completely unbiased review.
Also posted on Silk & Serif
M.R O'Connor attempts to tackle the moral and social implications regarding de-extinction efforts. Considering the fact that mammoth DNA has been fully sequenced, it stands to reason the sequencing of other animal DNA is only a breath away. O'Connor delves in the questions: which animals are worth saving? What are the implications on the environment and human society? Will establishing the science of de-extinction devalue the meaning of "extinct species"?
The novel looks at extremely troubled Spray Toads whose natural habitat has been destroyed by human efforts. Spray Toads have helped humans understand the unintended effects of industrialization has on wildlife but also arises the question of when human development should be halted for environmental conservatism. The author also questions the moral implications when expensive conservation attempts are considered more important and saving human lives.
Meanwhile, the example of Florida Panthers is used to understand how human interaction with wildlife and changes of habitat has destroyed this mammal's genetic legacy. A fearsome and beautiful creature reduced to inbreeding and tiny numbers due to habitat destruction. Humanity is growing at an exponential rate, destroying natural habitats and destroying the genetic legacy of many animals.
I definitely recommend reading this novel if you are just delving into the subject of de-extinction, as it is informative and thorough with plenty of wonderful animal histories.
Finally, the Northern White Rhino is used as an example of the cruelty of poachers with tales of over hunting due to greed. The Northern White Rhino is a perfect example of a species who suffered the failure of many conservation efforts and could potentially benefit from de-extinction programs. It definitely felt this was a fantastic creature to utilize in developing an understanding of the benefits de-extinction as well as a cautionary tale of human history.
O'Connor also looks at the implications of human contact, habitat destruction and the science of de-extinction in regards to:
Northern Right Whales (one of my favourite entries and definitely inspires me to read more Right Whale literature)
White Sands Pupfish
Hawaiian Crow
Passenger Pigeon
Neanderthal
Unfortunately, I honestly didn't click with the way the novel was narrated. Although O'Connor has a well researched and carried a solid premise..I dislike most narratives that hold humanity as most important. The discussion largely discussed the economic ramifications on smaller, poor communities in relation to expensive conservation projects and questioned whether human progress should be halted in the name of preserving the environment. Although I understand that "progress" cannot be stopped and economic powers will never halt construction of hydro-electric dams for mere toads; I am appalled that human life is considered more important than animal life. I found it uncomfortable reading a narrator who leans a bit further down the "save humanity" spectrum than I am. Regardless, Resurrection Science is extremely educational and definitely worth the read. I also plan on buying it if I can find it in my city because it's worth keeping on the bookshelf for reference.
I also learned quite a bit about species of animal I've never heard of or really considered learning about.
I found Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things an important read to understand further questions in the march towards developing de-extinction technology and policy. The fact that discerning which animal to use in de-extinction projects is interesting because we still don't properly understand the interconnections of ecology or the effects on the environment regarding re-introduction of missing species.
This book will appeal to readers of science non-ficiton, people new to de-extinction science, animal lovers, humanists, nature lovers and animal documentary lovers. A book filled with animal trivia, experiences of those who are leaders in their fields and interesting moral questions. Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things should not be missed by any science or nature lover!
Also posted on Silk & Serif
M.R O'Connor attempts to tackle the moral and social implications regarding de-extinction efforts. Considering the fact that mammoth DNA has been fully sequenced, it stands to reason the sequencing of other animal DNA is only a breath away. O'Connor delves in the questions: which animals are worth saving? What are the implications on the environment and human society? Will establishing the science of de-extinction devalue the meaning of "extinct species"?
The novel looks at extremely troubled Spray Toads whose natural habitat has been destroyed by human efforts. Spray Toads have helped humans understand the unintended effects of industrialization has on wildlife but also arises the question of when human development should be halted for environmental conservatism. The author also questions the moral implications when expensive conservation attempts are considered more important and saving human lives.
Meanwhile, the example of Florida Panthers is used to understand how human interaction with wildlife and changes of habitat has destroyed this mammal's genetic legacy. A fearsome and beautiful creature reduced to inbreeding and tiny numbers due to habitat destruction. Humanity is growing at an exponential rate, destroying natural habitats and destroying the genetic legacy of many animals.
I definitely recommend reading this novel if you are just delving into the subject of de-extinction, as it is informative and thorough with plenty of wonderful animal histories.
Finally, the Northern White Rhino is used as an example of the cruelty of poachers with tales of over hunting due to greed. The Northern White Rhino is a perfect example of a species who suffered the failure of many conservation efforts and could potentially benefit from de-extinction programs. It definitely felt this was a fantastic creature to utilize in developing an understanding of the benefits de-extinction as well as a cautionary tale of human history.
O'Connor also looks at the implications of human contact, habitat destruction and the science of de-extinction in regards to:
Northern Right Whales (one of my favourite entries and definitely inspires me to read more Right Whale literature)
White Sands Pupfish
Hawaiian Crow
Passenger Pigeon
Neanderthal
Unfortunately, I honestly didn't click with the way the novel was narrated. Although O'Connor has a well researched and carried a solid premise..I dislike most narratives that hold humanity as most important. The discussion largely discussed the economic ramifications on smaller, poor communities in relation to expensive conservation projects and questioned whether human progress should be halted in the name of preserving the environment. Although I understand that "progress" cannot be stopped and economic powers will never halt construction of hydro-electric dams for mere toads; I am appalled that human life is considered more important than animal life. I found it uncomfortable reading a narrator who leans a bit further down the "save humanity" spectrum than I am. Regardless, Resurrection Science is extremely educational and definitely worth the read. I also plan on buying it if I can find it in my city because it's worth keeping on the bookshelf for reference.
I also learned quite a bit about species of animal I've never heard of or really considered learning about.
I found Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things an important read to understand further questions in the march towards developing de-extinction technology and policy. The fact that discerning which animal to use in de-extinction projects is interesting because we still don't properly understand the interconnections of ecology or the effects on the environment regarding re-introduction of missing species.
This book will appeal to readers of science non-ficiton, people new to de-extinction science, animal lovers, humanists, nature lovers and animal documentary lovers. A book filled with animal trivia, experiences of those who are leaders in their fields and interesting moral questions. Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things should not be missed by any science or nature lover!
June 6, 2016
Rating: 4.5 stars
Resurrection Science by M.R. O'Connor takes a look at current conservation movement and it's possible future. This book is written in an engaging manner that doesn't bog the reader down with too much heavy science. Personally, I would have liked to read more science, but that isn't the focus of the book.
The author delves into the history of the conservation movement, exploring a handful of species facing imminent extinction via the thought-provoking, often sad and almost always futile stories of the men and women trying to save these species. Each chapter deals with a different species of animal that raises a different question regarding the course of conservation and extinction. Should species be protected/saved if it is detrimental to the human community around it? At what point does a hybridized species stop being what it was originally? If human interference is largely responsible for the differences between a species that has been fragmented, are they still the original endangered species? How can we protect endangered species that we know very little about? What if breeding a species in captivity results in erasing the behaviors that were the defining features of that species? Would artificially reviving a species produce the same species, or would it be different, with different behaviours? Is on the ground conservation more feasible than storing genetic material/data?
Ms O'Connor discusses the complex ethical issues behind conserving, modifying and resurrecting species in what appears to be a balanced manner, taking into account economics, ethics, science and the nature of humans. De-extinction is the process of creating an organism, which is either a member of, or resembles an extinct species, or breeding population of such organisms, with cloning or selective breeding being the proposed methods. There is significant controversy over de-extinction, with critics asserting that efforts would be better spent conserving existing species, and that the habitat necessary for formerly extinct species to survive is too limited to warrant de-extinction. There is also the conflict between nature/animals and the developmental needs of humans - in essence, determining what a species is worth. The author also takes a look at genetic conservation. This involves gene banks containing millions of tissue samples of extinct and still living species, stored in the hopes that future generations can use the genetic material to bring back extinct species.
This book is a well-written, interesting and thought provoking look at the science and ethics of current and future conservation efforts. The author asks uncomfortable questions and raises troubling points that should be considered.
Resurrection Science by M.R. O'Connor takes a look at current conservation movement and it's possible future. This book is written in an engaging manner that doesn't bog the reader down with too much heavy science. Personally, I would have liked to read more science, but that isn't the focus of the book.
The author delves into the history of the conservation movement, exploring a handful of species facing imminent extinction via the thought-provoking, often sad and almost always futile stories of the men and women trying to save these species. Each chapter deals with a different species of animal that raises a different question regarding the course of conservation and extinction. Should species be protected/saved if it is detrimental to the human community around it? At what point does a hybridized species stop being what it was originally? If human interference is largely responsible for the differences between a species that has been fragmented, are they still the original endangered species? How can we protect endangered species that we know very little about? What if breeding a species in captivity results in erasing the behaviors that were the defining features of that species? Would artificially reviving a species produce the same species, or would it be different, with different behaviours? Is on the ground conservation more feasible than storing genetic material/data?
Ms O'Connor discusses the complex ethical issues behind conserving, modifying and resurrecting species in what appears to be a balanced manner, taking into account economics, ethics, science and the nature of humans. De-extinction is the process of creating an organism, which is either a member of, or resembles an extinct species, or breeding population of such organisms, with cloning or selective breeding being the proposed methods. There is significant controversy over de-extinction, with critics asserting that efforts would be better spent conserving existing species, and that the habitat necessary for formerly extinct species to survive is too limited to warrant de-extinction. There is also the conflict between nature/animals and the developmental needs of humans - in essence, determining what a species is worth. The author also takes a look at genetic conservation. This involves gene banks containing millions of tissue samples of extinct and still living species, stored in the hopes that future generations can use the genetic material to bring back extinct species.
This book is a well-written, interesting and thought provoking look at the science and ethics of current and future conservation efforts. The author asks uncomfortable questions and raises troubling points that should be considered.
August 4, 2020
The book reminds me ´´The sixth extinction´´ from Elisabeth Kolbert. The structure is very similar. Each chapter is dedicated to one endagered or extinct species. The reader can get many interesting facts but the art of storytelling is inferior compared to ´´The sixth extinction.´´
November 26, 2018
Do not read this book! I only read it for my NHD project, and it SUCKS. It is a very factual book, and it isn't very interesting at all. If you want to read it, go ahead, not my suggestion though.
August 10, 2015
In Resurrection Science M.R. O'Connor examines many of the difficult aspects of contemporary conservation. This work is broken down into species-specific case studies (each chapter) to illustrate various elements of past, present and future conservation efforts. In so doing some past procedures are shown to have unexpected consequences which leads to a valid questioning of present and future interventions (if indeed interventions are what is best).
In addressing some of the ethical issues of conservation science she has accomplished a feat most nonfiction works strive for yet seldom attain, namely the ability to both provide information while also generating further questions for the reader to ponder. I have some fairly secure stances on conservation and the environment yet found myself questioning what I knew, what I thought I knew and most importantly whether I had thought through many of my stances. I found myself both enthralled by the stories within each chapter as well as applying the lessons from each to my own thinking. Don't get me wrong, when I say lessons I don't mean to imply she is trying to "teach" the reader how to think, the lessons from each chapter are the lessons the scientists and conservation workers learned from their experiences.
I highly recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in wildlife, wildlife management and conservation, and environmental protection. The chapters are wonderfully written and in some ways self-contained. The ideas that link all of the chapters are integral to the work but does not detract from the readability of each case study.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
In addressing some of the ethical issues of conservation science she has accomplished a feat most nonfiction works strive for yet seldom attain, namely the ability to both provide information while also generating further questions for the reader to ponder. I have some fairly secure stances on conservation and the environment yet found myself questioning what I knew, what I thought I knew and most importantly whether I had thought through many of my stances. I found myself both enthralled by the stories within each chapter as well as applying the lessons from each to my own thinking. Don't get me wrong, when I say lessons I don't mean to imply she is trying to "teach" the reader how to think, the lessons from each chapter are the lessons the scientists and conservation workers learned from their experiences.
I highly recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in wildlife, wildlife management and conservation, and environmental protection. The chapters are wonderfully written and in some ways self-contained. The ideas that link all of the chapters are integral to the work but does not detract from the readability of each case study.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
November 24, 2019
This book was amazing and easy to read. It talks about extinction, possibly bringing extinct animals back to life. There's a lot of moral dilemmas regarding resurrection science
If a species is about to go extinct, we dedicate more time to conserving the species instead of their habitat. A lot of the time, the species is conserved but essentially lose their wildness and can't be reintegrated into their environment
Is it moral to spend millions of dollars bringing back the extinct passenger pigeons back to life when there are animals about to go extinct. Even if we bring them back, doesn't that devalue how we view animals? It's thought that companies and politicians are more likely to destroy animals to extinction and go, "well, so what? We can always bring them back"
There are times where we have to prioritise humans or the animal. For example, the book explores these frogs that inhabited a small spray area that was in the way of a hydroelectric dam. The dam would essentially kill them but without the dam, the area wouldn't have electricity
Conservation science is complicated. I highly recommend this book
If a species is about to go extinct, we dedicate more time to conserving the species instead of their habitat. A lot of the time, the species is conserved but essentially lose their wildness and can't be reintegrated into their environment
Is it moral to spend millions of dollars bringing back the extinct passenger pigeons back to life when there are animals about to go extinct. Even if we bring them back, doesn't that devalue how we view animals? It's thought that companies and politicians are more likely to destroy animals to extinction and go, "well, so what? We can always bring them back"
There are times where we have to prioritise humans or the animal. For example, the book explores these frogs that inhabited a small spray area that was in the way of a hydroelectric dam. The dam would essentially kill them but without the dam, the area wouldn't have electricity
Conservation science is complicated. I highly recommend this book
September 16, 2015
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A brilliant collection of studies on endangered or extinct species. Thought-provoking and readable, this book is important in that rather than preach, it presents information and leaves you to your own conclusions. Written scientifically and well-researched, this book breaks through a lot of the controversy surrounding what humans do to other species and the ethics and philosophies associated. Recommended.
A brilliant collection of studies on endangered or extinct species. Thought-provoking and readable, this book is important in that rather than preach, it presents information and leaves you to your own conclusions. Written scientifically and well-researched, this book breaks through a lot of the controversy surrounding what humans do to other species and the ethics and philosophies associated. Recommended.
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February 4, 20164.5 stars from Bill: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
October 11, 2017
Resurrection Science is a book about extinction species by M.R. O’Connor. It discusses the topics of reviving extinct animals. This topic is very controversial in recent years as scientists worldwide are doing their best to bring these species back to earth. With the advance of biochemistry, the concepts from sci-fi are becoming reality. Though it seems exciting that people might be able to see them again, whether humans should play the role of god becomes debatable. It raises concerns not only ethically but also philosophically because bringing the dead alive would overthrow the basis of life itself.
Author did a great job introducing many philosophy principles to readers. For example, although the de-extinct animals are complete the same genetically, it might be another ‘species’ regarding philosophy. Author did nice research on these issues and visit several prominent scholars in this field. She balances these views and leaves it to readers to decide.
In addition to reviving dead species, there are many contents on how to preserve or save endangered animals. Some cases in the book are highly endangered species with only less than 100 alive in the world. Most of these animals are captivated by humans as their habitats are gone. Captive preservation is the only way to ensure its survival. However, it also leads to several problems. Captive animals show signs of ‘evolution’ or maybe ‘degradation’ which lost their original traits in the wild. They become relied on humans to survive. Moreover, the genetic pool of a small population is not sustainable. Close-relation breeding will lead to extinction eventually. Captive breeding may just put off their demise. This puts conservationists in a difficult situation. What is the true meaning of protecting these animals? What if their extinction in fact doesn’t have any negative influence on humans? Do these animals really have anything useful that protecting them is essential or we protect them just an act of moral justification?
Another way to preserve the animals are to frozen their DNA. It’s argued that some time in the future technology is capable of bringing all the dead species back to earth. It sounds at least a relief that humans might still be able to save them though we can’t protect all of them currently. Normally, we would agree it’s a nice way. But author shows us the other side. Let’s say we finally have the knowledge to revive them, but their natural habitats are nowhere to find. Will these animals really ‘feel happy’ to return to this kind of world where they can only live in captive prisons? Furthermore, this kind of thinking (we have preserved their DNA) might make people put less efforts to protect the environment. In fact, it is the protection of environment that is the essential priority of every conservation. Sadly to some conservationists, preserving their DNA samples is the better option among bad choices. We can’t just let animals vanish, can we?
There are eight chapters in this book. Each chapter covers a species. It introduces the history, status quo, and some issues surrounding them. O’Connor does an excellent job! I enjoy her writing very much and learn quite a lot! Highly recommend to everyone in love of animals and our beautiful mother nature.
Author did a great job introducing many philosophy principles to readers. For example, although the de-extinct animals are complete the same genetically, it might be another ‘species’ regarding philosophy. Author did nice research on these issues and visit several prominent scholars in this field. She balances these views and leaves it to readers to decide.
In addition to reviving dead species, there are many contents on how to preserve or save endangered animals. Some cases in the book are highly endangered species with only less than 100 alive in the world. Most of these animals are captivated by humans as their habitats are gone. Captive preservation is the only way to ensure its survival. However, it also leads to several problems. Captive animals show signs of ‘evolution’ or maybe ‘degradation’ which lost their original traits in the wild. They become relied on humans to survive. Moreover, the genetic pool of a small population is not sustainable. Close-relation breeding will lead to extinction eventually. Captive breeding may just put off their demise. This puts conservationists in a difficult situation. What is the true meaning of protecting these animals? What if their extinction in fact doesn’t have any negative influence on humans? Do these animals really have anything useful that protecting them is essential or we protect them just an act of moral justification?
Another way to preserve the animals are to frozen their DNA. It’s argued that some time in the future technology is capable of bringing all the dead species back to earth. It sounds at least a relief that humans might still be able to save them though we can’t protect all of them currently. Normally, we would agree it’s a nice way. But author shows us the other side. Let’s say we finally have the knowledge to revive them, but their natural habitats are nowhere to find. Will these animals really ‘feel happy’ to return to this kind of world where they can only live in captive prisons? Furthermore, this kind of thinking (we have preserved their DNA) might make people put less efforts to protect the environment. In fact, it is the protection of environment that is the essential priority of every conservation. Sadly to some conservationists, preserving their DNA samples is the better option among bad choices. We can’t just let animals vanish, can we?
There are eight chapters in this book. Each chapter covers a species. It introduces the history, status quo, and some issues surrounding them. O’Connor does an excellent job! I enjoy her writing very much and learn quite a lot! Highly recommend to everyone in love of animals and our beautiful mother nature.
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December 17, 2024Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things by journalist M.R. O’Connor dives into the drastic actions scientists are taking to save endangered species. These efforts range from captive breeding, genetic management, to de-extinction. O’Connor explores these measures through chapters that each focus upon one species and the conservation methods and new cutting-edge technologies scientists are using. She shares her experiences of traveling around the world talking to scientists, conservationists, as well as indigenous communities about the modern struggle and complexity of saving and preserving at-risk species. However, questions arise concerning what exactly is humanity's role in the course of nature? O’Connor brings to light the ethical and ecological problems posed when humanity intervenes with the natural world.
O’Connor suggests that human efforts to save biodiversity through traditional methods and new technologies pose ethical and ecological problems. Although these actions are critical for preserving biodiversity, resulting challenges arise regarding conservation decisions in such a rapidly changing environment.
The Journalist explains her struggles with scientists' use of the term “Sixth Extinction” in the sense it’s “unhelpful for grasping the scale and nature of diminishing biodiversity” because individuals often don’t experience or see these problems directly. Instead it’s a rather ‘monolithic idea’ that many individuals are unaware of or cannot comprehend. O’Connor calls attention to these issues, grabbing the reader's attention with her personal encounters with a few of the many species on Earth that are on ‘life support’ today. She brings to light the unthought of effects of human involvement in the natural world in respect to de-extinction efforts and technologies. Thus prompting readers to re-evaluate human impact on the environment and our role in species preservation. O’Connor successfully calls attention to the alarming numbers of endangered species and scientists efforts to save them. However, some readers may argue that O’Connor fails to provide a clear solution to the problems she presents.
O’Connors presents her work in a storytelling form, starting with her childhood in the 1990’s to her present adult self. She gives the reader a look into the kind of child she was and the parallels of her adult values, interests, and concerns. This makes the book a casual and easy read for every reader. Each chapter focussing on one species draws attention to the depth of the problems O’Connor sheds light upon, but also the history of these species. The book compiles a balance between history, biology, and philosophical questions that engages the reader.
O’Connor suggests that human efforts to save biodiversity through traditional methods and new technologies pose ethical and ecological problems. Although these actions are critical for preserving biodiversity, resulting challenges arise regarding conservation decisions in such a rapidly changing environment.
The Journalist explains her struggles with scientists' use of the term “Sixth Extinction” in the sense it’s “unhelpful for grasping the scale and nature of diminishing biodiversity” because individuals often don’t experience or see these problems directly. Instead it’s a rather ‘monolithic idea’ that many individuals are unaware of or cannot comprehend. O’Connor calls attention to these issues, grabbing the reader's attention with her personal encounters with a few of the many species on Earth that are on ‘life support’ today. She brings to light the unthought of effects of human involvement in the natural world in respect to de-extinction efforts and technologies. Thus prompting readers to re-evaluate human impact on the environment and our role in species preservation. O’Connor successfully calls attention to the alarming numbers of endangered species and scientists efforts to save them. However, some readers may argue that O’Connor fails to provide a clear solution to the problems she presents.
O’Connors presents her work in a storytelling form, starting with her childhood in the 1990’s to her present adult self. She gives the reader a look into the kind of child she was and the parallels of her adult values, interests, and concerns. This makes the book a casual and easy read for every reader. Each chapter focussing on one species draws attention to the depth of the problems O’Connor sheds light upon, but also the history of these species. The book compiles a balance between history, biology, and philosophical questions that engages the reader.
March 2, 2018
This book takes a moral, ethical, practical, technological, and philosophical look at conservation of endangered species, and the attempts to revive extinct species here in what's become known as the Anthropocene Epoch.
I'm fascinated by this kind of stuff. And author M.R. O'Connor poses a lot of interesting questions. There's a "spray toad", for example, that has evolved to live in the spray of a particular waterfall in Tanzania. There's now a dam there, so the spray is no longer what the toad needs, and there are no other waterfalls that have the properties necessary for the toad. Now, all surviving members of the species are being cultivated in special rooms in the Bronx and Toledo, Ohio. The question is, why are we doing this? What's the inherent value of a spray toad? They'll never be able to be released in the wild, because their one-and-only waterfall will never be what it once was. And to further complicate things, the spray toads in the Bronx are, because of their small and isolated population, evolving to something other than what they were under that African waterfall. And the spray toads in Toledo are also evolving, independently of the spray toads in the Bronx. So we, the human race, are creating a variety of toad that never lived in the wild and has little hope of ever doing so.
Another interesting example is a Hawaiian crow called the ʻalalā. They too are being raised in captivity and while their natural environment isn't as hopelessly lost as that of the spray toad, while in captivity they're losing their "culture". These birds learn how to live in the wild from their parents, and generations of crows are being raised in an aviary, where they are unable to learn how to feed in the wild and avoid predators.
The ʻalalā, the rhinoceros, and so many other species are being preserved as museum pieces. They can be seen in zoos but their hopes of living in the wild are fading. Is it worthwhile to go to this effort? I think it is, although seeing an animal in captivity is not nearly as inspiring as seeing it in the wild. I've seen rhinos in zoos, but I've also been fortunate enough to have seen a mother rhino and her calf, from a close but safe distance, in a national park in Zambia. There's no comparison between the two experiences. But even that isn't the point. Rhinos should have a home in the wild even if no human being ever sees them.
Anyway, this book covers all this and more. Florida panthers. Right whales. Passenger pigeons. Even Neanderthals. The chapter on the passenger pigeons was surprisingly interesting. So much good material in this book. Five stars!
I'm fascinated by this kind of stuff. And author M.R. O'Connor poses a lot of interesting questions. There's a "spray toad", for example, that has evolved to live in the spray of a particular waterfall in Tanzania. There's now a dam there, so the spray is no longer what the toad needs, and there are no other waterfalls that have the properties necessary for the toad. Now, all surviving members of the species are being cultivated in special rooms in the Bronx and Toledo, Ohio. The question is, why are we doing this? What's the inherent value of a spray toad? They'll never be able to be released in the wild, because their one-and-only waterfall will never be what it once was. And to further complicate things, the spray toads in the Bronx are, because of their small and isolated population, evolving to something other than what they were under that African waterfall. And the spray toads in Toledo are also evolving, independently of the spray toads in the Bronx. So we, the human race, are creating a variety of toad that never lived in the wild and has little hope of ever doing so.
Another interesting example is a Hawaiian crow called the ʻalalā. They too are being raised in captivity and while their natural environment isn't as hopelessly lost as that of the spray toad, while in captivity they're losing their "culture". These birds learn how to live in the wild from their parents, and generations of crows are being raised in an aviary, where they are unable to learn how to feed in the wild and avoid predators.
The ʻalalā, the rhinoceros, and so many other species are being preserved as museum pieces. They can be seen in zoos but their hopes of living in the wild are fading. Is it worthwhile to go to this effort? I think it is, although seeing an animal in captivity is not nearly as inspiring as seeing it in the wild. I've seen rhinos in zoos, but I've also been fortunate enough to have seen a mother rhino and her calf, from a close but safe distance, in a national park in Zambia. There's no comparison between the two experiences. But even that isn't the point. Rhinos should have a home in the wild even if no human being ever sees them.
Anyway, this book covers all this and more. Florida panthers. Right whales. Passenger pigeons. Even Neanderthals. The chapter on the passenger pigeons was surprisingly interesting. So much good material in this book. Five stars!
August 22, 2016
Lonesome George – the very last Pinta Island tortoise (he died in 2012, the species is now extinct).
We are currently living in an era that some have dubbed the ‘Anthropocene’, a period during which human activity serves as the dominant influence on climate and the environment. Unfortunately this influence has not been a positive one. Species are disappearing at a rate that has been estimated as 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than natural background rates. There have been five mass extinction events in earth’s history and all evidence points to the fact that we are living through the sixth (the greatest since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago). To make matters worse, the effects of global warming are expected to exacerbate this trend with as many as 30 to 50 percent of all species possibly heading toward extinction by mid-century.
In the U.S., the Endangered Species Act was signed into law in 1973 to protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Part of this work entails:
- Preservation of sensitive ecosystems upon which endangered species depend.
- Enacting regulations to prevent species decline (for example, by halting production and use of DDT).
- Captive breeding programs to increase endangered populations, then releasing them into the wild.
However the issue is far more complicated and (in some ways) insoluble than I ever would have imagined.
Resurrection Science by journalist M.R. O’Connor explores some of the intractable problems that conservation biologists face when attempting to save a species from extinction. These include answering difficult scientific questions regarding a species’ habitat, genetics, biology, and behavior, but also involves complicated ethical considerations for which easy answers often do not exist.
Here are a few examples to provide an idea of the complexities surrounding the issue (keep in mind a few points as you read through the list; first – that we likely don’t fully understand the value a species plays in its ecosystem, second – that humans are part of this ecosystem and depend upon it for survival, and third – that extinction is forever):
- Captive breeding can bolster declining animal populations. But captive breeding also exerts evolutionary pressures on a species that may change them in ways that are poorly understood or that reduce their fitness. Captivity also alters the animal’s natural behaviors. How, and to what extent should captive breeding programs be employed and what degree of change in a captive species is acceptable?
- Captive breeding is intended to serve as a temporary stop-gap measure until such time as the species can be released into the wild. But habitat loss is ongoing and accelerating. What if their habitat no longer exists? Should a species be preserved under artificial conditions if there is no chance of them ever surviving again in the wild?
- As populations decline, genetic diversity decreases. Over time this may eventually reach the point where the species is no longer viable. Should humans artificially introduce genetic variation into a population (such as through relocation of animals from one population to another as was done with the Florida Panther)? What if the only opportunity is to bring together two related species such that their offspring are no longer pure genetic descendants of the original species?
- Should sub-species be saved? What degree of genetic difference is required to make a population unique enough to be preserved?
- If individuals within a species are passing along undesirable genes such that their offspring are less able to survive (thereby endangering the species as a whole) should these individuals be killed to improve the genetic fitness of the group? Is the deliberate killing of an endangered species ever acceptable?
- Should millions of dollars be spent to protect a species in an area of the world where humans are unable to meet basic subsistence needs?
- Is cryo-preservation of genetic material being used in lieu of substantive action to prevent habitat and species loss?
- To what extent should a species ‘usefulness’ to humans play a role in their preservation?
- Should genetic engineering be employed to improve the viability of declining populations (such as the creation of a blight-resistant transgenic American chestnut)?
- If the technology becomes viable, should extinct species be brought back to life ala Jurassic Park? Ok, that’s probably unrealistic, but woolly mammoths, passenger pigeons or thylacenes probably aren’t out of the question.
If you think you know the answer to any of these questions it’s probably a sign that you haven’t thought very deeply about their implications. Unfortunately there are no unambiguously ‘correct’ answers, and in many cases the choices available are between options that are bad and those that are worse. Like any issue, it is also one that requires a balance between allocation of limited resources and the value of the outcome … unfortunately, when it comes to conservation, that value often isn’t clear and is often mired by politics and ideological baggage.
Why should we go to such lengths to protect species? It is possible to argue for the preservation of biodiversity in anthropocentric utilitarian terms. You often hear this argument expressed as:
- There might be a plant or animal species with cancer curing properties that have yet to be discovered. The cure will be lost if the species goes extinct.
Or:
- Our knowledge of the complex interactions within ecosystems isn’t sufficient to predict the effects of losing a species. Environmental collapse could result that effects our quality of life is we aren’t diligent.
Unfortunately, these argument don’t hold water in many cases. What use do a handful of small toads that live in the spray of a single waterfall in Tanzania have to humans? Did Lonesome George’s death (see photo above) and the extinction of the Pinta Island tortoise effect my quality of life? Ultimately, this issue is an ethical one dependent upon our values. What would it mean to live in a world bereft of ‘non-essential’ species? Do animals have a right to exist and pursue their own interests independently of whether they overlap with the interests of humans? I believe they do and that humans have a moral obligation to ensure a species ongoing survival. The devil is in the details however, and the details are often messy.
I found Resurrection Science to be a fascinating and thought provoking (if depressing) book. O’Connor does quite a nice job using specific examples (spray toads, Florida panthers, right whales, desert pupfish and others) to explore the complicated nuances of this important topic.
My main criticism is that O’Connor chose to ignore any discussion of actions that could be taken to prevent species decline in the first place. This seems particularly egregious given the fact that this approach is far simpler than an attempt to recover a species once populations have been reduced to a critical few. Habitat preservation, carbon emissions reductions, bans to end over fishing and (most importantly) humane policies to reduce human population could all have been discussed within this context. A missed opportunity to be sure.
September 14, 2017
Despite the name, this book actually has very little on de-extinction – about half a chapter near the end, mostly on Revive & Restore's Passenger Pigeon project. Instead O'Connor writes about various conservation projects of extremely endangered (but not yet quite extinct!) species, including the Florida puma, the Kihansi spray toad, the Hawaiian crow, and the Northern White Rhino among others. We're talking severely endangered; the rhino was down to four living individuals at the time of this book's writing, and I believe it’s only three now.
O'Connor discusses the various methods taken to try and preserve these rare species – introducing members of a closely related subspecies to boost genetic diversity, capturing wild individuals to set up captive breeding programs, freezing DNA for future scientific endeavours – as well as how these approaches have succeeded and how they've failed. This leads into the other topic that forms the basis of the book: the philosophy and ethics of conservation. Does it matter if the Florida puma goes extinct if the Texas puma is still doing fine? How do we deal with a captive breeding program that leads a species to develop new traits that won't be useful in the wild? If evolution is constantly ongoing, and a species will change to match its environment, then even improving an environment means humans are influencing a species’s evolutionary path – is that choosing their future for them? If saving nature fundamentally requires meddling with nature, what does it mean to say wilderness is separate from humanity? And how does one define what counts as a 'species' anyway?
These are all pretty fascinating questions (to me, at least), and O'Connor really gave me some new ideas for musing on. It's very much a book of science, but I also appreciated that for all the nitty-gritty details of cutting-edge research she never lost sight of the poetic, spiritual dimension to humanity's attitude toward nature.
It wasn't what I thought it would be when I checked this out of the library, but I'm very glad I read it.
O'Connor discusses the various methods taken to try and preserve these rare species – introducing members of a closely related subspecies to boost genetic diversity, capturing wild individuals to set up captive breeding programs, freezing DNA for future scientific endeavours – as well as how these approaches have succeeded and how they've failed. This leads into the other topic that forms the basis of the book: the philosophy and ethics of conservation. Does it matter if the Florida puma goes extinct if the Texas puma is still doing fine? How do we deal with a captive breeding program that leads a species to develop new traits that won't be useful in the wild? If evolution is constantly ongoing, and a species will change to match its environment, then even improving an environment means humans are influencing a species’s evolutionary path – is that choosing their future for them? If saving nature fundamentally requires meddling with nature, what does it mean to say wilderness is separate from humanity? And how does one define what counts as a 'species' anyway?
These are all pretty fascinating questions (to me, at least), and O'Connor really gave me some new ideas for musing on. It's very much a book of science, but I also appreciated that for all the nitty-gritty details of cutting-edge research she never lost sight of the poetic, spiritual dimension to humanity's attitude toward nature.
It wasn't what I thought it would be when I checked this out of the library, but I'm very glad I read it.
February 17, 2018
This book is ok but it would've been interesting to hear some Australian stories, seeing as this is an Australian author. The wallaby breeding program at Tidbinbilla where endangered wallabies have regular wallaby surrogate mothers for example. The introduction is good but then it feels like the book went in a different direction. Instead of being about cutting edge conservation it was regular conservation. Sure, it's interesting to ponder where whales go but it didn't have much to do with resurrection science. And there was a lot of back & forth about the ethics of saving animals, maybe it should be titled should we resurrect? as that question as raised again & again. The spray toads were interesting, but are they really saved if they live in a tank? Perhaps I was hoping for more success stories, I'm not sure why & after checking the GoodReads reviews I see everyone else loved it, it just didn't grab me. I'm sorry to say I got bored before the chapter on the passenger pigeon which would have been the resurrection science I was expecting from the beginning.If you are studying animal biology or have a particular interest in the subject then read this book otherwise there are better popular science books, in my opinion.
September 5, 2017
Resurrection Science is a book all lovers of the environment must read. The author brings up philosophical questions about the current state of environmentalism, about whether human beings should manage nature, and to what extent. She asserts that it is too late to curb the influence of human occupancy, but that we need to better understand the extent of that influence and formulate a new ethic. In other words, should the future of conservation involve more management of nature or, perhaps, we need to "explicitly engineer or de-extinct species." As examples of current management, she includes freezing speciments (DNA), regenesis of Neanderthals and the Passenger Pigeon, African frogs, & Right Whales.
July 20, 2019
For someone who has always been interested in animals and their environments and has been concerned with the way that humans are destroying many of the best parts of this planet, I have never done much research or reading on the topic. This book is a great introduction to the field of conservation science because it introduces the reader to many of the problems facing those in the field today including political, economic, moral, and technological aspects. Chapter 8 and the epiloue of sorts bring up the questions of how humans think of themselves in accordance with nature. The answers to these questions may end up being the key in changing human behavior so that there will still be "natural" parts of the world left.
June 10, 2025
Resurrection Science is a nonfiction book about endangered and extinct species and the effort to save them and bring them back to existence. The case studies presented were interesting (and a bit sad). I liked that the author also discusses the ethics of tinkering with nature and genetics and showed both sides of the issues. The question of how much interference is too much and the philosophical discussion on what makes a species a species are important issues to be considered. What happens when we bring back something, but its habitat is no longer available? Will de-extinct creatures simply be oddities in zoos and if so will that be ethical? Overall it is an informative book that presents a lot of good issues and questions to consider.
May 22, 2018
Some of the philosophical ideas in this book were over my head, but I appreciated the author’s efforts to explain them in layman’s terms because they are important concepts that should be considered when we decide through our actions and inactions what species merit saving. Very thought provoking book that you could tell was heavily researched; I’m in awe of the author’s undoubted journey to have completed it. I enjoyed the insight into some species’ conservation that I was less familiar with (spray toads, pupfish, right whales). I can’t say that it left me with warm fuzzy feelings, but it will definitely help me articulate ideas when talking to others about my conservation views.
February 1, 2017
This book took some extra gray matter than I usually devote to what I read, but the questions addressed in it hold such great merit, making the constant swirl of the world's news seem petty and frivolous in comparison. Based on the title I was expecting a book squarely composed of science, but Resurrection Science is equal part philosophy, and all the better for it: the chapter on Neanderthals was particularly satisfying in this regard. Some photos, illustrations, and maps would have earned it the final star (Forgive me my NatGeo sensibilities).
May 17, 2019
Fascinating book about the ethics and philosophical sides of environmental conservation efforts! I always love a book where I find myself wanting to share what I've learned with other people, and I was definitely sharing fun passenger pigeon facts along with the stories of all the other species discussed in this book. Super fascinating book that will get you thinking about what are the most appropriate ways to be conserving our endangered species.
September 9, 2017
One of the best books on conservation that I've read, because it uses case studies in wildlife genetics to challenge pretty deeply entrenched paradigms about the meaning of species and conservation. It eventually gets a lot more philosophical than political or scientific - "metaphysical rhinos" is a chapter name that should give you an idea of what you're in for.
March 10, 2018
This book takes a look at the numerous ethical, philosophical, technological, and logistical principles involved in protecting and preserving endangered species, as well as the possibility of bringing back extinct species. Gave me some new perspectives, and I'm better for it.
But it starts better than it ends—those spray toads are fascinating, and the high point of the book for me.
But it starts better than it ends—those spray toads are fascinating, and the high point of the book for me.
March 29, 2018
In light of the passing of the last male Northern White Rhino last week, reading Chapter 6: "Metaphysical Rhinos" was extremely timely, and one of the more interesting excerpts I've read from a book in a long time.
Great read, really makes you think about wildlife conservation.
Great read, really makes you think about wildlife conservation.
November 18, 2017
This book is very informative for those who are not familiar with conservation efforts. The stories give a tangible, realist idea of what is truly happening in the world.
May 10, 2021
Not hard science; very accessible.
What if extinction wasn't necessarily the end of the story? And what would be the moral implications of that?
What if extinction wasn't necessarily the end of the story? And what would be the moral implications of that?
October 10, 2016
Interesting look at the science of protecting endangered animals and even possibly bringing back extinct species. O'Connor acknowledges the challenges in conservation when it impacts humans, and the spray toads were a good example: the dam and power generation were essential to the African people, and the measures created to preserve the habitat were hugely expensive and of doubtful help. And she looks at the problems of small gene pools and the questions of bringing in outside sources - such as the Florida panthers and the desert pupfish. But the book was best in the latter chapters - the naturally and historically small gene pools of right whales, the uselessness of conserving Hawaiian crows outside their natural habitat, and the possibility of 'resurrecting' passenger pigeons. She even delves into the ethics of potentially bringing back neanderthals - and the rather disturbing arguments for it. Overall, it's an interesting book - 3.5 stars.
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