Would a visit to Páirc Quaternary be better than Jurassic Park?
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De-extinction sounds like science fiction brought to life: the resurrection of species long lost to the natural world, some for centuries or even millennia. With cutting-edge gene-editing tools like CRISPR [Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats] scientists can now isolate DNA fragments from animals preserved in permafrost or museum specimens, piece together missing sequences, and edit living cells to revive ancient genetic lineages. And while dinosaurs are out of reach, due to their age and the poor preservation of their DNA, scientists have turned their attention to species from more recent times, notably the Quaternary Period, which includes creatures such as woolly mammoths and the Tasmanian tiger.
But before we consider the future of woolly mammoths in the Arctic or dodos in Mauritius, it’s worth revisiting one early attempt at de-extinction. In 2003, scientists achieved what seemed like a feat of genetic engineering: reversing extinction, if only for a moment. Researchers brought back the Pyrenean ibex, a species of wild mountain goat. The last of its kind, a female named Celia, had died in 2000. By injecting Celia’s preserved DNA into a domestic goat egg cell, scientists created a viable embryo, which they then implanted into a surrogate. This ibex clone was born but survived only a few minutes, succumbing to a lung defect. Though the attempt failed to produce a healthy animal, it marked a pioneering step, showcasing the potential of de-extinction technology.
In the two decades since, advancements in cloning and gene editing have transformed de-extinction from speculative fantasy into a potential reality. Today, scientists can compile functional genomes of recently extinct species with surprising accuracy. And companies such as Colossal Biosciences, based in Texas, are actively pursuing the return of the woolly mammoth, the dodo, and the Tasmanian tiger. Their goal: to “enrich biodiversity, replenish vital ecological roles, and bolster ecosystem resilience.” But while technology may be catching up to ambition, the ethical and environmental questions remain.
Proponents argue that de-extinction could play a vital role in ecosystem restoration. Many extinct species, including the woolly mammoth, were considered keystone species, meaning they shaped their environments in ways that supported entire ecosystems. Mammoths, for example, maintained Arctic grasslands by trampling down trees and shrubs, encouraging grasses that sequestered carbon and helped keep permafrost intact. Theoretically, reintroducing mammoths could help to restore lost Arctic ecosystems and perhaps even combat climate change by encouraging carbon storage.
Colossal Biosciences, spearheading this movement, plans to develop mammoth-like hybrids by inserting DNA from preserved mammoth specimens into the genomes of Asian elephants. They aim to produce their first mammoth calves by 2028.
Other projects include reviving the dodo to restore its ecological role in Mauritius, and reintroducing the thylacine, an apex predator, in Tasmania. Yet critics question whether the resources for these ambitious projects might not be better invested in conserving species currently at risk of extinction.
Imagine if these techniques could be applied to Irish ecosystems. While we may not see mammoths in Connemara or dodos along the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s rich fossil record holds traces of species that shaped its ancient landscapes. Fossil records in Irish peatlands have revealed fascinating snapshots of a vanished world, including large mammals like the Irish elk (Megaloceros giganteus), whose fossils are often found in our bogs.
If the Irish elk were brought back, although the return of such species remains highly unlikely, managing its presence in today’s Ireland would require careful planning. Large herbivores like the elk influence vegetation by browsing and grazing, which could reshape plant communities. The elk would need vast spaces to roam, likely in designated reserves or controlled areas, to prevent issues like crop damage or road hazards. Imagine seeing an Irish Elk on the M50. With no natural predators left in Ireland, population control would rely heavily on human management, involving significant resources to balance the elk’s ecological role with modern land uses and conservation priorities.
As exciting as the concept of de-extinction may be, the practical and ethical implications are complex. Reviving extinct species requires vast resources, raising questions about whether it is the best use of funds in a world facing immediate threats to biodiversity.
Matt James, our Chief Animal Officer on caring for a Woolly Mammoth 🦣 on the MeatEater podcast pic.twitter.com/Y4n9jhyvLy
— Colossal Biosciences® (@colossal) September 24, 2024
There are also significant logistical challenges to consider. Scaling up reintroduction efforts to have meaningful ecological effects would require massive populations. For mammoths to restore the Arctic’s mammoth steppe, tens of thousands would be needed across vast areas of Siberia, Canada, and Alaska. There’s also the very real threat of unintended consequences such as the spread of hybrid animals beyond designated areas or unforeseen ecological impacts, which could disrupt current ecosystems in unpredictable ways. This draws into question if we could control the technology.
De-extinction represents a bold step into uncharted territory, one that challenges us to rethink our relationship with the natural world. For some, the thought of mammoths roaming the Arctic or thylacines prowling Tasmania is thrilling; for others, it’s a distraction from more pressing issues. Bringing back the Pyrenean ibex may have lasted only minutes, but it reminds us of the delicate balance of life and extinction, and the limits of what technology alone can accomplish.
Rather than re-populating the world with ancient species, perhaps our efforts would be better spent addressing the conservation challenges we face today. By protecting the species and ecosystems we still have, we honour the legacy of what’s been lost, without risking the unintended consequences that could arise from de-extinction. After all, some mysteries of the past might be best left untouched, preserving a certain magic that only the fossil record can offer.