Company Claims Breakthrough in Restoring Extinct Dodo Bird

A Texas-based company is trying to bring back dodos. That's right, they want to bring back the odd-looking flightless birds whose name became an insult. The dodo went extinct over three hundred years ago. It once lived on the island nation of Mauritius.   

Dodos looked something like a big goose with a toucan’s beak. One was last seen alive by a Dutch sailor in 1662. Colossal Biosciences announced last week that it had achieved a major breakthrough in bringing the bird back. It said it has cultivated primordial germ cells of pigeons. They hope to change the germ cells with gene editing to reconstruct the dodo’s genome. The bird would be birthed by a gene-edited chicken. It wouldn't be an exact copy, but Colossal hopes it will be close enough.  

Colossal CEO Ben Lamm said they hope to "put them back into the wild where they can truly thrive." He added, “We’re not looking to make two dodos, we’re looking to make thousands.”   

The dodo is one of a few species the company hopes to revive. Others include the wooly mammoth and the Tasmanian tiger.  

The process, though, is controversial. It is often called “de-extinction” or “resurrection biology.” People concerned about animal welfare say it can cause pain and suffering for the animals. Conservationists argue it takes the focus away from saving endangered animals that are still with us. And others say that those who practice this kind of science are playing God.   

Supporters, though, say de-extinction could be a major help. They argue it could help restore lost ecosystems. They also say it could advance human knowledge about how to preserve life.   

Reflect: If you could bring back any animal that no longer exists, which one would you choose and why?

Photo of an illustration of a dodo bird from Wikimedia Commons.