Scientists aim to bring back the bird- dodo. Why so?

The dodo bird is a creature that went extinct in the seventeenth century, and since then, it has only appeared in kindergarten books. However, these birds may make their come-back to the world with the help of a few scientists.

Colossal Biosciences, a biotech firm in Dallas, Texas, recently announced its intention to bring back, or actually, de-extinct the dodo. Alongside this plan, the tech company also has its projects to recreate the thylacine and the woolly mammoth or the Tasmanian tiger. The company was founded by Ben Lamm, a tech entrepreneur and George Church, a Harvard geneticist.

As suggested from the previous projects by the company, de-extincting the dodo will need extreme advances in genetic engineering, artificial wombs, animal husbandry, and stem cell biology. However, it still cannot be said whether these would be able to survive the world over three centuries later or not.

Additionally, even if the technologies work just as planned, there will still linger a question that is the species actually resurrected or is the final outcome just a genetic resemblance of a dodo?

However, despite so many questions, Colossal Biosciences has taken up the challenge.

Why does the company want to de-extinct the dodo?

The question has been answered by a member of the scientific advisory board member at Colossal Biosciences, Dr. Beth Shapiro. The Dr. is of the view that the goal is to create an animal that can be psychologically and physically fine in the environment in which it survives. Shapiro has always had a long fascination and a keen interest with the extinct bird. The project is a collaboration between the company and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. The aim of the project is to re-introduce the dodo to its native habitat in Mauritious.

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The founder of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Vikash Tatayah, is of the view that bringing back the dodo to the land of Mauritius will aid in restoring its ecosystem. The founder of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation points to the mutualistic relations that have been destroyed since the dodo became extinct. The large beak of the dodo signifies that the bird used to intake fruits that had large seeds. Therefore, the bird played a significant role in the dispersal of seeds.

Additionally, Colossal would be making use of a certain technology to de-extinct the dodo, and in case it works, the same technology can be used to restore other populations of avian creatures that are at the brink of extinction.

Finally, a project like this will aid in creating conservation optimism, that will be inspiring people all over the globe.

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