In today’s world, 16,300 animals are currently threatened by extinction. How are we supposed to tackle an issue this large? Where would we even start? A creative research team from Georgia’s Regenerative Bioscience Center has created an idea that may just save these animals from extinction. Their solution… a frozen zoo!

Scientists Steven Stice and Franklin West from the Regenerative Bioscience Center in Georgia came up with the idea of collecting the stem cells belonging to endangered animals. From there, the stem cells will undergo a process where they will be transformed into sperm or eggs, which can be kept frozen until further use. The sperm and eggs would also be kept in containers and would hardly take up any room.

“It would take two boxes to essentially store a whole population”, West tells CNN. Preserving these cells is primarily the only chance we have at saving endangered species and only insures that they will be around for years on.

This incredible development will not only allow researchers to control the endangered population, but will also allow them to bring out and transform these stem cells years into the future.

“Essentially the genetics are immortal,” says West. The ‘Frozen Zoo’ also wanted to steer away from using research grants, and instead, the entire formation is being funded by donations. Charlene Betourney, behind the fundraiser’s marketer and development, agrees that funding the zoo using donations allows the public to get involved in a much larger issue and helps bring us a little closer to a solution.