An animal 'poo zoo' could help protect endangered species

The researchers say they've already taken living cells from elephant dung

The protection of some of the world's most endangered species is a big problem many experts are trying to solve.

Some researchers believe animal poo may hold the answer.

'Poo Zoo' is a project which aims to collect cells from animals using non-invasive methods, which means their bodies aren't interfered with in any way.

The cells can then be used to help support the conservation of animal populations.

So how does it work? The smelly stuff animals produce each day contains living cells which has been shed from the lining of their intestines.

The aim of the poo zoo project is to collect these cells from a number of endangered species, which are then stored in super cold conditions to help preserve them.

"The idea is to isolate the cells from the poop, and to remove all the bacteria to make them clean as it's a dirty environment," Prof Suzannah Williams from Oxford University, who is leading the poo zoom team, told Newsround.

It's hoped the cells isolated from the mouse poo will be used to make stem cells

Once cleaned, researchers would then have cells which could be used to create whole new animals using different methods including:

1. Cloning - this is when DNA from one animal is used to make an exact genetic copy of it.

2. Genetic rescue - this can help boost what's known as genetic diversity by using the isolated cells from the poo to see how animals are related and which animals would be good to breed with one another.

3. Stem cell production - Stem cells are cells that develop into other types of cells.

Actions have been taken to conserve black-footed ferrets, which are one of America's most endangered animals, through cloning

The team has already been able to successfully isolate live cells from both mouse poo and elephant dung.

The next stage of the project is to make these into stem cells.

Poo zoo is still in its early stages, but the research team working on the project, which also includes members from Chester Zoo, are positive about the impact it could have on protecting species in the future.

Prof Williams believes new animals made from isolated cells taken from poo could be a reality within the next 20 years.

It's hoped the project will help prevent endangered species like sea turtles from becoming extinct

Why is the protection of endangered species so important?

Several species of orangutan are critically endangered

Many species are currently at risk of becoming extinct, which means they'll no longer exist in the future, unless action is taken to protect them.

Factors like climate change, habitat loss and human activities can all have an impact on animal populations around the world.

Conservationists say it's a big deal as animals and plants are not only important in their own right, but their existence affects other species too.

They argue that certain animal populations dying out could have a knock on effect on others, and this may affect humans too.