The scientific world is debating a project that seeks to bring back to life animals that disappeared more than 200 years ago. The company Colossal Biosciences, based in Dallas, is working on reviving the blue antelope or bluebuck, extinct around 1800 mainly due to hunting and habitat change during colonization.
Although this initiative sounds like science fiction, it is not about finding a lost specimen or directly cloning an ancient animal.
The approach is to genetically modify cells of its closest relative, the roan antelope, to recreate an animal functionally similar to the extinct bluebuck.
This process raises an important discussion: is this a second chance for biodiversity or just a modern reinterpretation of a lost species?
The Hippotragus leucophaeus inhabited the southwest of the Cape, South Africa, in coastal grasslands. Its distinctive gray coat with bluish hues made it particularly attractive to naturalists and hunters.
According to Colossal, this was the first large African mammal to become documented extinct due to the lethal combination of hunting, human expansion, and changes in the environment.
The key DNA for this project comes from a historical sample from the Swedish Museum of Natural History. Colossal has managed to extract genetic material from the skin of a young male, allowing the past to be studied with a new perspective.
This DNA has enabled the generation of a high-coverage genome, helping to identify unique genetic characteristics of the blue antelope, such as the LYST and ASIP genes involved in its coloration.
The technique involves comparing the genome of the blue antelope with that of the current roan antelope, detecting key differences to incorporate them into roan cells. This process includes genetic editing, embryo creation, and implantation in a surrogate mother of the same species.
According to Reuters, this procedure could extend up to nine months, involving multiple tests before a successful birth.
Blue Antelope
Colossal has also developed induced pluripotent stem cells from the roan antelope, crucial for their ability to transform into various cell types, allowing laboratory trials without using live animals. This technology is vital for endangered species, where every individual counts.
It is important to clarify that the resulting animal will not be an exact genetic replica of the blue antelope, but a functional version with key characteristics, such as its coat and body shape, based on specific genetic variations.
Colossal’s project seeks more than to revive an extinct species; it also aims to improve the conservation of current antelopes, a group that often receives less attention than other emblematic species.
Of the 90 existing antelope species, 29 are endangered, with populations declining in 62% of cases, according to data from the IUCN.
Beth Shapiro, chief scientific officer of Colossal, highlights that antelopes have been a “forgotten megafauna of conservation“. The technologies developed could benefit living species facing reproduction problems and genetic loss.
However, reviving a species is not limited to the laboratory; it also requires securing habitats, legal permits, and social acceptance. A recreated animal needs a safe environment to live and thrive.
Ben Lamm, co-founder of Colossal, emphasizes that it is crucial to prepare the world to protect the blue antelope when it returns. This project is not just about creating a catchy headline but ensuring it has a significant ecological impact.
The study published in Current Biology notes that although the blue antelope had low genetic diversity for a long time, its extinction is largely due to human activities during the colonial era, such as hunting and alteration of the landscape.
The official statement on the inclusion of the blue antelope in the de-extinction program can be consulted at Colossal Biosciences.
