The Dodo De-Extinction: Colossal’s Genetic Map

The phrase “dead as a dodo” has signified permanent extinction since the late 17th century. However, a partnership between US-based biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation aims to change that definition. By leveraging advanced gene-editing technology and a newly sequenced genetic map, scientists are working to return this flightless bird to its native home in the Indian Ocean.

The Partnership: Colossal Biosciences and Mauritius

Colossal Biosciences made headlines initially for its plans to bring back the woolly mammoth and the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger). In early 2023, the company announced the dodo as its third target species. This project is not a solo endeavor. Colossal has formally partnered with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to ensure that if the bird is recreated, it has a suitable home.

The initiative is backed by significant capital. Colossal raised $150 million in Series B funding, bringing their total evaluation to over $1 billion. This financial injection supports the massive scientific undertaking required to reverse extinction. The project is led by Ben Lamm, the company’s CEO, and Dr. Beth Shapiro, a lead paleogeneticist who has spent two decades studying dodo DNA.

The Role of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation

Bringing the bird back to life is only half the battle. The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation provides the necessary ecological expertise. Their role focuses on:

  • Habitat Restoration: Preparing specific zones in Mauritius to support the dodo.
  • Predator Management: The dodo originally went extinct due to human hunting and the introduction of invasive species like rats, pigs, and monkeys. These predators still exist and must be managed to protect any reintroduced birds.
  • Rewilding Protocols: Establishing how the birds will be released and monitored in the wild.

The Science: How De-Extinction Works

Colossal is not technically “cloning” a dodo in the way Dolly the sheep was cloned. Cloning requires a living cell, which does not exist for the dodo. Instead, the team is using a method best described as creating a “proxy” species. This involves editing the genome of a living relative to express the physical traits of the extinct bird.

The Genetic Blueprint

Success depends on having a complete genetic map. Dr. Shapiro and her team successfully sequenced the dodo’s genome using DNA extracted from a skull specimen housed at the Natural History Museum of Denmark.

To build the new bird, scientists use the Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarita). This is the dodo’s closest living relative. The process involves:

  1. Comparison: Scientists compare the Nicobar pigeon’s genome against the extinct dodo’s genome to identify the specific genes responsible for dodo traits (such as size, beak shape, and flightlessness).
  2. Editing: Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, they edit the cells of the Nicobar pigeon to match the dodo’s genetic code.
  3. Primordial Germ Cells (PGCs): This is the most difficult technical hurdle. Avian reproduction differs from mammals. You cannot simply implant an embryo into a surrogate. Instead, scientists must edit Primordial Germ Cells (the cells that become sperm and eggs) and implant those into a developing egg of a surrogate host (likely a chicken or pigeon).
  4. Hatching: If successful, the surrogate bird lays an egg that contains the modified genetic material, eventually hatching a dodo (or a hybrid that is functionally a dodo).

Why Bring Back the Dodo?

Critics often ask if this funding should go toward saving currently endangered species instead. However, Colossal and its partners argue that the technology developed for de-extinction has immediate benefits for conservation today.

Avian Rescue Toolkit

The “Avian Genomics Group” at Colossal is developing tools to move genetic traits between bird species. This technology could help existing birds survive climate change or disease. For example, if a specific gene grants immunity to avian malaria, scientists could theoretically edit that gene into endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers to prevent their extinction.

Ecosystem Restoration

The return of the dodo acts as a catalyst for repairing the Mauritian ecosystem. The dodo was a large frugivore (fruit eater) that played a vital role in seed dispersal. Its return could help propagate native plant species that have declined in the bird’s absence. The project forces a focus on removing invasive species, which benefits all native wildlife in Mauritius, not just the dodo.

Timeline and Expectations

While Colossal has set a target of 2027 for the woolly mammoth calves, the dodo timeline is less defined. Avian gene editing is historically more complex than mammalian editing due to the structure of the bird egg.

Currently, the team has achieved the following milestones:

  • Sequenced the full genome of the Dodo.
  • Sequenced the genome of the Rodrigues Solitaire (an extinct relative) to verify genetic variances.
  • Established the Avian Genomics Group to focus specifically on bird reproduction technologies.

The resulting animal will technically be a hybrid. It will possess the Nicobar pigeon’s foundational DNA but will look and act like a dodo. This distinction is important for scientific accuracy. It is a functional dodo, recreated to fill the ecological niche left vacant since 1681.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the dodo be de-extinct? There is no hard release date for the dodo. Colossal Biosciences has suggested their mammoth calves could arrive by 2027 or 2028. The dodo presents different technical challenges regarding egg manipulation, so a timeline of late 2020s or early 2030s is a reasonable estimation based on current progress.

Will the new dodo be 100% identical to the original? No. It will be a “proxy” species. Since the scientists are editing the genome of a Nicobar pigeon, the result will be a hybrid that is physically and functionally a dodo, but it will share some DNA with the pigeon.

Where will the birds live? The plan is to release them in Mauritius. The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation is looking at protected sites, potentially small islets off the coast of the main island, where invasive predators like rats and feral pigs can be completely removed to ensure the birds are safe.

Is this safe for the environment? Reintroducing a species is always complex. However, the dodo is not an alien invasive species; it is native to Mauritius. The biggest risk is not the bird itself, but ensuring the habitat is ready to support it without the bird succumbing to the same predators that killed it off centuries ago.