Experts in the UK claim this could be achieved if cells, tissue and DNA of every animal from around the world are preserved at temperatures of -196C in the CryoArks Biobank.
Professor Mike Bruford at Cardiff University is leading the creation of the CryoArks Biobank.
He told The Natural History Museum: "Collections of tissue and DNA from laboratories, zoos, aquariums and museums will come together under a single structure, providing us with an unparalleled opportunity to better manage and share the vast amount of genetic material we have.
"It will allow researchers and conservationists to access material they never thought existed - including samples from wild populations and animals that are now extinct. CryoArks is making a step change in the way that genetic material is curated, and is making it available to more scientists."
The new £1-million biobank will be the first national bank of frozen animal material in the country.
Bruford said he hoped extracting and freezing DNA from as many threatened species as possible would providing some hope for the future, serving as a "back-up copy of a species" via their DNA, should the worst happen.
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