Colossal Biosciences, a biotech startup focused on reviving extinct species such as mammoths, the dodo, and the Tasmanian tiger, is only two years old yet operates with high velocity. By leveraging cutting edge genetic techniques, it aims to turn a long held dream into reality. The company has signaled that a milestone for reviving the mammoth could arrive by 2027 or 2028 at the latest. The ambition is to see these legendary giants roam again in Arctic environments.
While Colossal Biosciences concentrates on three species, its top priority remains the mammoth. There are several practical reasons for this focus: exceptionally well preserved remains give researchers access to viable DNA, including near intact calves preserved in permafrost; there are closely related species such as the African elephant that can contribute compatible genetic material to create viable embryos; and some researchers believe that reintroducing mammoths could support and perhaps improve tundra ecosystems in the long term.
The tool commonly cited by the company is the well known CRISPR gene editing technique. DNA recovered from mammoth remains found in Arctic deposits is combined with genetic material from elephants, resulting in a genome that is about 99.6 percent identical to that of the mammoth.
According to the company, once a viable embryo is created, the next step would be to implant it into the womb of an African elephant to allow development. Choosing an African elephant rather than an Asian elephant is partly due to the mammoth’s closer genetic relationship to African elephants.
The last mammoth disappeared from Earth roughly four millennia ago, and Colossal predicts that within five years a specimen could be seen revived. More individuals could then be introduced to the Arctic tundra as part of the restored ecosystem.
Beyond mammoths, the company also pursues efforts to bring back the dodo, a large flightless bird that once inhabited Mauritius and became extinct with the arrival of humans in the 17th century. The Tasmanian tiger, a marsupial native to Australia and nearby islands that vanished around the turn of the 20th century, is also listed among its priorities.
Doubts about the final result
Current science suggests that reversing extinction is not easy. A recent study warned that it is nearly impossible to perfectly recreate an extinct animal. Even when an organism is revived, it is unlikely to be an exact replica of the original species. Researchers caution that the results may differ in meaningful ways.
Gaps in the genetic code can be filled with DNA from different species, which may influence key traits of the revived creature. Missing genetic information can alter essential characteristics and behavior in ways that are hard to predict.
Even when the revived animal closely resembles its ancestor, its social behavior and ecosystem interactions are likely to reflect the biology of the surrogate species used in the process. In practice, the animal could act as a hybrid, and its viability in a natural setting would depend on many unpredictable factors.
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Environmental authorities may provide guidance on how such efforts should be managed and monitored, with an emphasis on responsible stewardship and biodiversity protection.