Colossal Biosciences, a billion-dollar startup, claims to be one step closer to resurrecting the extinct dodo bird. The Dallas-based company has decrypted the entire genome of the bird, which was required for the futuristic plan. The company has already previously stated that it intends to recreate other extinct animals such as the Tasmanian wolf and the woolly mammoth. Scientists are still a long way from bringing back the dodo, though, because they would have to put dodo-specific genes into the embryo of a living animal, which is hard to do.

Scientists would have to compare the dodo’s genetic information with that of closely related birds like the Nicobar pigeon or the Rodrigues solitaire to find the mutations that “make a dodo a dodo.” The ultimate goal would be to reintroduce the birds to Mauritius, where they once lived before humans wiped them out. The result would be a hybrid bird that looks like its ancestor, but the plan is “very, very difficult,” according to Ewan Birney, deputy director of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory.

This follows recent news in which a group of scientists argues that giving “de-extinct” animals a new name would give them an appropriate distinction from natural species, as well as a conservation status that could help protect them legally. They argue that they can use the original scientific name but add “recr,” which is an abbreviation of “recrearis,” the Latin word for “revived.”

Despite the difficulties, the company has raised an additional $150 million for the project, bringing the total raised since 2021 to $225 million. According to Bloomberg, the latest investment is worth $1.5 billion. But there are moral questions about making a new species with the goal of letting it live in the wild. Birney stated: “I’m not sure what purpose it serves or whether this is the best use of resources. We should save the species we have before they become extinct.”

Colossal Biosciences claims that its goal is not only to resurrect extinct animals but also to serve as a “moonshot” for conservation research, with the hope of discovering useful tools to assist animals in surviving the current biodiversity crisis. “We’re clearly in the middle of an extinction crisis,” said project lead geneticist Beth Shapiro, “and it’s our responsibility to bring stories and excitement to people in a way that motivates them to think about the extinction crisis that’s going on right now.” Shapiro is especially excited about developing genetic rescue tools for birds and avian conservation.

References

Guenot, M. (2023, February 1). Billion-dollar startup plans to bring the dodo back from the dead, and claims it can also revive the woolly mammoth. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-revive-mammoth-dodo-colossal-biosciences-2023-2

Wagner, N., Hochkirch, A., Martin, H., Matenaar, D., Rohde, K., Wacht, F., Wesch, C., Wirtz, S., Klein, R., Lötters, S., Proelss, A., & Veith, M. (2017). De-extinction, nomenclature, and the law. Science, 356(6342), 1016–1017. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aal4012