‘Frozen Zoos’ – No Cuddling but Lots of Conservation
The tragedy of the Murray Darling Basin has seen thousands of fish killed in the iconic waters. With 26 of the 46 fish species known to inhabit the Basin listed as either threatened or rare – the recent drop in population size demonstrates how measures must be seriously considered.
The method of ‘frozen zoos’ and cryopreservation is shown in sci-fi movies as placing someone in a freezer, waiting a century and then bringing them out to experience a new world.
However the reality is much different, with new techniques emerging that may provide Australian species of fish a safe passage into the introduction of ‘frozen zoos’.
To discuss the future of ‘frozen zoos’ for Australian fish species, we spoke to Nicola Marie Rivers, a PhD candidate from the Education Program in Reproduction and Development at Monash University.
