DNA from Ohio zoo’s polar bears used in fight against poaching

Scientists are trying to perfect a new, more accurate DNA test for bears and benefited from the Columbus Zoo’s controlled samples from a known family of animals. The reference data illustrate how genetic patterns change in a population over time. It could someday pin down criminals who harm polar bears, which are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, on which the bears are listed as threatened.

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