An American company plans to revive extinct animal species
The American company Colossal Biosciences plans to revive mammoths, as well as flightless dodo birds. Scientists have compiled a list of animal species that they hope to “resurrect.” If the first mammoth calf is expected in 2028, then dodos may return to their habitat earlier.
Colossal Biosciences, a company that uses genetic research to revive the mammoth, has announced that they will also bring back the Mauritian dodo. The organization is working with the Mauritius Wildlife Trust to return flightless birds to the wild. They believe these fauna could have a positive impact on the habitats they come to call home and even improve lives around the world.
Colossal Biosciences chief animal scientist Matt James told the Star-Telegram that they've heard jokes about Jurassic Park. many times — reviving predatory lizards from DNA found in a mosquito from amber is technically impossible. “Blockbusters have done a lot of good in inspiring generations of genetic scientists and introducing the idea to public debate, but they haven’t done much to explore realistic practical applications,” — noted a company representative.
If Colossal Biosciences succeeds, they are not going to place mammoths in enclosures. The company believes the greatest benefits will come from restoring damaged ecosystems, slowing or even reversing climate change, and developing technologies to save endangered species. According to James, the mammoth and dodo were key species.
“For both the mammoth and the dodo, extinction was largely due to human intervention,” — scientists say. The disappearance of woolly elephants led in part to the disappearance of the mammoth steppe that extended during the last Ice Age.
Scientists believe that controlling large birds and giant hairy Arctic weather elephants will be much easier than trying to restore the balance and biodiversity of ecosystems without them.
Climate change is causing the polar ice sheets to melt, which could release methane and other greenhouse gases that have been trapped there since the tundras formed. Removing the disappeared mammoth and returning it to the Arctic will help prevent this, the authors of the unusual initiative believe.
How is it possible to breed animals? It won't be like the cloning ideas. Primarily because the company will not be exclusively engaged in breeding the species using laboratory equipment or test tubes. According to Matt James, the company will use the genetic codes of these animals for artificial insemination — Asian elephants will be used as surrogate mothers for the birth of mammoth calves. According to research by Colossal Biosciences, their DNA is already more than 99% similar.
Recreating the dodo bird is a little more difficult. The reconstructed flightless bird genes will be injected into sterile chicks, which will then be able to mate and lay eggs. “This is something that has not been studied as widely as gene editing or cloning in mammals, so the exact timeline is difficult to establish,” — James says. Since it won't take long for the dodo to return after fertilization, the biggest challenge may be habitat preparation. The company is in negotiations with the Mauritius Wildlife Trust. They plan to clear the habitat of unnatural predators (primarily cats and rats) and do everything possible to restore the green mountain landscape.
In both cases, the animals will be saved from extinction by combining DNA with their closest and living ones descendants. Colossal Biosciences' chief animal scientist emphasizes that genetic technology could even prevent the Holocene extinction event, which is currently projected to begin actively around 2050 but is already underway.
Technology will help many in the future endangered species such as the white rhinoceros or the Tasmanian devil. By understanding genetics, the company can artificially inseminate the last viable female of the species to not only give birth to the species' savior, but also to introduce sufficient genetic diversity into her offspring. Regardless of the species, James said the need to start saving now.
«The cost and risk of doing nothing is much greater than the risk of doing it now. We already have a long list of species that need protection,” — Matt James commented.
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