Genome of Australian spotted handfish mapped for the first time - video

CSIRO scientists have mapped the first full genome of the spotted handfish, a step which could aid monitoring, captive breeding and conservation efforts of the critically endangered species. Fewer than 2,000 spotted handfish remain in the wild. Dr Tom Walsh, co-lead of CSIRO's applied genomics initiative, said the genome can provide a better understanding of the species. "What we don't want is for all our endangered species to only exist as genomes," he said. The conservation has to happen on the ground. What the genome can do is provide more information to those people making those decisions."