User:Toter Alter Mann/draft

The Frozen Ark is a charitable organisation dedicated to preserving tissue, cells, DNA and other genetic material of endangered and extinct animals for conservation and research, especially by using cryopreservation. Founded in 2004 by Ann Clarke, her husband Bryan Clarke and Anne McLaren, the Frozen Ark is a joint project between the University of Nottingham, the Zoological Society of London and the British Natural History Museum. Next to its own collection of material, the Frozen Ark also promotes best practises for storing and preserving animal material to other organisations and seeks to raise public awareness of the ongoing extinction of species around the world.

The Frozen Ark collaborates with a number of British and international institutions, including zoos, museums and biobanks. Its current director is the conservation biologist Mike Bruford from Cardiff University. Since its inception, The Frozen Ark's attempts to store genetic material with the help of cryotechnology have received considerable attention by media worldwide, especially regarding the possibility to use such material for species resurrection.

History
Partula snails – founding in 2004 – early fame – deaths of Anne McLaren and Bryan Clarke – interim directorship Mike Bruford

The Frozen Ark was founded in 2004 by the British molecular biologist Bryan Clarke, his wife Ann and the developmental biologist Anne McLaren. Bryan Clarke had worked on the genetics of Partula snails for several decades, witnessing their decline and extinction in the wild. Taking inspiration from Kurt Bernirschke's Frozen Zoo in San Diego, Clarke advocated for a large-scale collection of frozen animal tissues, cells and DNA, which was meant to serve as a basis for resurrecting and rewilding species once biotechnology had made sufficient progress.

Activities
Collection – facilitation & promotion – dissemination – reception in the media – critique of ex-situ conservation & cryopreservation

Organisational structure
Legal status – involved institutions and their role – partners – current director and team – board of trustees