Scientists are in heated debate over whether to resurrect the dodo, the flightless bird extinct for over 300 years. The biotech firm Colossal Biosciences is getting closer to reviving it through groundbreaking genetic engineering.
Do such experiments risk deeper moral pitfalls, or is it ethically correct to manipulate nature’s timeline, do a a “Jurassic Park,” and bring back a species that human hunting has long erased? The company’s latest breakthrough has been cultivating primordial germ cells from pigeons, precursors to sperm and eggs, and has ignited this profound question, forcing a reckoning with the limits of scientific ambition and human responsibility to the past.
Dodo resurrection project provokes warnings from scientists
The plan to resurrect the dodo carries profound risks, as critics warn of unintended ecological chaos and ethical vagueness in this scientific practice. Introducing genetically edited birds into Mauritius, the dodo’s former island home, could disrupt fragile ecosystems, as we have already seen with the invasive green parakeets all over Europe, and the habitat loss of other creatures, which could potentially release an unpredictable domino effect like altered food chains or competition with native species.
Sceptical experts, including Oxford’s Rich Grenyer, argue that de-extinction can divert precious resources from urgent conservation battles, such as the effect of curbing hunting, that threaten thousands of living species today. As well, replicating the dodo’s exact genetic makeup remains a massive challenge; the resulting birds might be merely similar in form but with broader consequences in the natural food chain, which raises doubts about authenticity and raises the stakes on meddling with evolution’s grand design.
But what are the pros of scientists’ dodo resurrection initiative?
Yet, proponents of resurrecting the dodo say that there are compelling upsides that could redefine conservation and biodiversity. By using tools like CRISPR to edit pigeon DNA in surrogate chickens, Colossal hopes to restore lost ecological roles, such as seed dispersal, that once stabilised Mauritius‘ forests and potentially strengthen resilience against environmental degradation. CEO Ben Lamm envisions the birds roaming predator-free habitats within five to seven years, and hopes to inspire public awe and gain global support for wildlife protection.
The project’s momentum is evident in its $120 million funding boost, pushing valuation to $10.2 billion with backers like Tom Brady, Paris Hilton, Tiger Woods, and Peter Jackson, who also champion the idea of reviving New Zealand’s giant moa. Far from just a gimmick, this could spotlight de-extinction as a toolkit for healing human-inflicted wounds on the planet.
Colossal‘s track record adds some intrigue: Months ago, it claimed to de-extinct the dire wolf, though experts dismissed it as overhyped. However, as partnerships acquire potential safe havens in Mauritius, the resurgence of the dodo appears imminent, provided ethical considerations support its revival.
