About Nature’s SAFE
The conservation charity Nature’s SAFE, one of the world’s first living biobanks, is on a mission to Save Animals From Extinction. As animal populations decline, a point is reached when the genetic diversity essential for species survival is lost. As EAZA Biobank’s UK-based cryopreservation partner, Nature’s SAFE works with zoos and wildlife rescue centres to secure the future of animal biodiversity. They do this by storing cells and tissues from threatened wildlife species using advanced cryopreservation technologies, free of charge. Through developing next-generation genetic rescue approaches to restore diversity to threatened populations, Nature’s SAFE acts an insurance policy to prevent extinction.
Conservation Partnerships
Nature’s SAFE, the ‘living biobank’, is on a mission to Save Animals From Extinction. As animal populations decline, a point is reached when the genetic diversity essential for species survival is lost. Nature’s SAFE works with an extensive network of conservation partners to store cells and tissues from threatened wildlife species using advanced cryopreservation technologies, helping to secure species diversity for the future.
The service provided by Nature’s SAFE is completely free of charge. After an animal passes, or during routine veterinary procedures such as castration, Nature’s SAFE works alongside veterinarians to secure cells and cell tissues to store in our biobank. Using advanced scientific techniques, they are able to keep cells frozen in a viable living state, so that they can be thawed and used practically in endangered species breeding programmes.
As a charity, Nature’s SAFE provides free sample storage at their state-of-the-art facilities in the UK. Each conservation partner maintains ownership of all samples they have stored in the biobank. Nature’s SAFE is also working towards establishing biobanking hubs in other countries to enable appropriate stewardship of samples from native wildlife in-country and expand capacity for cryoconservation globally.
To continue research development, Nature’s SAFE will also use some samples from lesser threatened species to conduct innovative research to ensure live cells of each tissue type can be safely thawed and cultured. Through developing next-generation genetic rescue approaches to restore diversity to threatened populations, Nature’s SAFE acts an insurance policy to prevent extinction.
Read more about the charity’s conservation network at: https://www.natures-safe.com/our-network/
PALS Post-mortem services
All animal species, including primates, are covered by PALS’ post-mortem services, which allow us to collect tissue samples so Nature’s SAFE can carry on with their research and development.
Tel: 01829 781855 or email: sales@palsvetlab.co.uk for further information on this service.