Shaman, a hairy armadillo cub, cries after being fed custom baby milk
Roshan Patel/Smithsonian National Zoo/Conservation Biology Institute
Killer whale milk has a blindingly fishy smell. Seal milk has a rich orange color. Reindeer milk is about as thick as eggnog, which is probably appropriate. I’m not tempted to try it, and I can see other exotic milks stacked floor-to-ceiling on shelves. I put on my fluffy winter jacket and went inside the freezer that houses the world’s largest collection of animal milk. It contains milk from everything from shrews to two-toed sloths and giant anteaters.
Housed at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., this collection is more than just a shelf of curiosities, it’s a vital resource for zoo workers here and at zoos around the world tasked with nourishing orphaned infants. By studying all this white and not-so-white stuff, scientists at the Smithsonian Institution hope to create custom infant formulas that give the animals in their care the best possible start in life. I can.
However, as our understanding of milk grew, we realized that milk lacked an important element: microorganisms. Now, as they investigate the diversity of microorganisms found in different milks and the benefits these organisms provide, they aim to recreate this in milk produced in the lab. This is not only to better help the young animals in the zoo, but also to help some animals survive. The rarest species in the wild.
Killer whale milk tastes fishy
Espen Bergersen/npl/Alamy
“The goal is not necessarily to freeze and archive milk…
Source: www.newscientist.com
