Extinct tiger DNA resurrected

The world's last Tasmanian Tiger died in captivity in Hobart Zoo in 1936.

It was hunted to extinction in the wild in the early 1900s.

There are a few stuffed tigers in museums and now its DNA has been re-activated in the laboratory.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) DOCTOR ANDREW PASK FROM MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY, SAYING:

"It had been a long time coming, so we were very, very excited."

A team of Australian and American scientists extracted DNA from a 100-year-old Tasmanian Tiger that had been kept in ethanol.

Dr Andrew Pask said the DNA was injected into a mouse embryo where it was reproduced in the animal's cartilage.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) DOCTOR ANDREW PASK FROM MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY, SAYING:

"Would be amazing to be able to bring something like that back to life since we responsible for them going in the first place."

The experiment could have exciting implications for bone development.

But as for bringing back extinct species?

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PROFESSOR MARILYN RENFREE FROM MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY, SAYING:

"One should never say impossible in science but it is a long way in the future."

But this is a first and many are asking what next?.

Sonia Legg, Reuters.

bone - The dense, semirigid, porous, calcified connective tissue forming the major portion of the skeleton of most vertebrates. It consists of a dense organic matrix and an inorganic, mineral component.