The University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center is building a "frozen zoo," a genetic storage center that scientists believe will someday save endangered species from extinction. The team has already extracted cells from this Sumatran tiger named Jalal.
Zoo Atlanta/Zoo Atlanta
Jalal was euthanized at Zoo Atlanta in 2010, two weeks shy of his 17th birthday.
Zoo Atlanta/Zoo Atlanta
Researchers also extracted skin cells from clouded leopard Moby. Moby was euthanized at Zoo Atlanta in 2013 after being sick for months.
Zoo Atlanta/Zoo Atlanta
Researchers hope to breed animals like Moby in the 'frozen zoo" -- replacing current endangered-species breeding techniques that researchers say are focused primarily on animals kept in zoos.
Zoo Atlanta/Zoo Atlanta
Franklin West, assistant professor of animal and dairy science at the University of Georgia, pulls out a storage tank of animal cells. West and another researcher are developing a process to convert skin cells from endangered species into stem cells.
Jason Evans/CNN/CNN
A graduate student works at the University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center.
Jason Evans/CNN/CNN
This storage tank holds animal cells waiting to be reprogrammed into stem cells.
