The quagga was an extinct subspecies of zebra, primarily hunted to extinction because of its unique coat, which was unlike that of either a typical zebra or a horse. The last known quagga died on August 12, 1883, at the Artis Zoo in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, without a mate.

There were various theories that the quagga could be bred back into existence by combining a zebra and a horse. It can’t be done; the quagga was a unique species. Attention-seeking genome specialists promised they could “clone” it back into existence, but no such promises materialized.

The moral of the story is that once a unique part of creation is gone, it’s gone; nothing will bring it back. Be careful about what you leave to your posterity.