Another virgin birth

Komodo dragon are just few of the animals that are becoming to extinct.

JUST BEFORE Christmas, the media excitedly reported that Flora, the Komodo dragon at the Chester Zoo in England, was due to become a mother. The reason for all the hype, though, is that Flora is a virgin; she’s been at the zoo since she was a year old and hasn’t been exposed to any male Komodo dragons since 1999, as Komodo dragons are supposed to reproduce when a male inseminates a female.

A team of researchers led by Phillip Watts at the University of Liverpool genetically profiled some of Flora’s eggs that had collapsed early on and found that the lizard was indeed the sole genetic parent. In short, the Komodo dragon, isolated from its kind and feeling the need to breed, had parthenogenetically reproduced. Parthenogenesis is the process by which offspring are produced without any male involvement. Very few vertebrate species use this method to reproduce.

This happening really made the zookeeper happier for this simply means that the pregnancy of Flora (Komodo dragon) delays the verge of extinction of Komodo dragon in the world, perhaps parthenogenesis transpires to Flora because she feels that they’re family or kind is one by one diminishing.

Komodo dragons have the unique ability to have existed for as long as they have the unique combination of genes that is given to each child by both its parents’ increases genetic diversity. Interestingly, Flora, the first Komodo dragon chooses this kind of reproductive route.

If Flora’s egg will hatch successfully, like what I have said before it will delay their verge of extinction, but should we rely on Parthenogenesis reproduction or should we ACT and TAKE CARE of this extinct animals so that children of the next generation will be acquainted with them. And that they would enjoy to see the beauty of earth and its nature.

Reference: Inquirer online news
First posted 02:00:38 (Mla time) 2007-01-06 Massie Santos Ballon Inquirer