<\/figure>\n<\/p>\nVikash Tatayah had never heard of Colossal Biosciences until the Texas-based company announced plans last year to bring back the dodo. Widely known for wanting to \u201cde-extinct\u201d the woolly mammoth, it said it was making strides in the genetic engineering of dodo-like birds, which would then be brought to Mauritius, one of the Indian Ocean\u2019s Mascarene islands and the dodo\u2019s sole habitat before extinction.<\/p>\n
As conservation director at the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Tatayah had worked for decades to conserve the nation\u2019s surviving endemic species, from the Mauritius fruit bat to the pink pigeon, a dodo relative. So he was surprised that his organisation wasn\u2019t in the loop \u2013 and somewhat sceptical of the motives behind the multi-million-dollar project. \u201cI was the first to say, \u2018Hold on. There are a lot of other species of plants and animals on Mauritius that are threatened. That money could be better spent.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether genetic engineering should be used for conservation remains contentious, and many are especially wary of de-extinction. But a year later, Tatayah sees the potential return of the dodo as a way to simultaneously rescue endangered species \u2013 in particular the pink pigeon. \u201cWe are very keen for the dodo to be brought back,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Often overlooked is that the biotech breakthroughs Colossal and others are working on could have important collateral benefits. They could clear a path to using genetic tools to quickly help a whole range of animals resist the pressures they face from a changing environment. \u201cThe pace of change is faster than evolution by natural\u2026<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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