Project Description
According to the journal of Biological Conservation, the Bird Life International organization, and their eight-year study from 2010 to 2018, deforestation has globally killed off a total of eight species of birds (Gibbens, 2018). Because of this, reintroducing as many endangered birds back into the wild becomes one of the many goals of sustaining the environment.
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Conducted by Professor Tahara and the Japan Poultry Science Association, the shell-less egg incubation experiment was focused on finding ways to manipulate embryo development for better production of endangered bird specimens and improving the steps for regenerative medicine. Birds are important for the environment as being part of the food chain, while promoting plant reproduction as seed dispersers or pollinators. By creating a way to better produce endangered birds, the restoration of destroyed environments can be sped up, and the plants can keep the birds both fed and healthy.
For this experiment, two groups of chicken eggs were incubated for three days, transferred into the plastic wrap vessels, and placed back into the incubator until they hatch. The goal was to make the development of the chicken embryo visible, without harming it. This experiment allows other researchers to witness the development of a chicken embryo through a direct observation, something that doesn’t have same impact as looking at a regular chicken egg or an x-ray.
