Transcript for Clip 2 -- GMOs and Zoos:
When it comes to genetically modified organisms, [genetic engineering
goes against the zoos belief of] conserving endangered species. The
goal for the zoo business is to create as diverse of a genetic population
of animals as possible. Because in order to conserve a species you
need to have a very great genetic diversity of those animals. When it
comes to genetically modified organisms, it seems to me you're almost
doing the opposite. You're almost creating a smaller gene pool. With a
smaller gene pool you can be causing more diseases. You've got a
smaller gene pool. You've got animals that could be susceptible to
some disease and if that were the case, if you have a smaller gene
pool, you're going to wipe out a lot more animals. Every animal has
weaknesses in their genes, if you are creating a smaller gene pool you
are creating more animals with that same weakness. Transcript for Clip 3 -- Altering Animals:
I think the public would really be very critical of the way zoos approach
genetically altered animals at a zoo. I really think we would see a lot of
changes in attitudes if we started creating genetically altered animals
here in a zoo. Then those people that look at a zoo as an organization
that has responsible ethics and as a good source of information, might
suddenly change. And they might start looking at a zoo strictly as a
place to be entertained and not necessarily as a place to get accurate
and correct information. I think we would see a change in the
populations of our visitors, people that are more interested in just
recreating and not educating and vice versa.
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Posted March 6, 2001