VPB 321: Animal Biotechnology (2+1)

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Another major concern surrounding the use of animal biotechnology is the potential for negative impact to the environment.
• These potential harms include
• the alteration of the ecologic balance regarding feed sources and predators,
• the introduction of transgenic animals that alter the health of existing animal populations and
• the disruption of reproduction patterns and their success.
• To assess the risk of these environmental harms, many more questions must be answered, such as: What is the possibility the altered animal will enter the environment? Will the animal’s introduction change the ecological system? Will the animal become established in the environment? and Will it interact with and affect the success of other animals in the new community? Because of the many uncertainties involved, it is challenging to make an assessment.