The Woolly Mammoth, an extinct species of mammoth that lived from the Middle Pleistocene to the Holocene epoch, is on its way to being brought back by a group of scientists at Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company. The plan to revive them is back on track after the scientists created a new species called the wooly mouse.

The company is aiming to bring prehistoric pachyderms back to life by genetically modifying Asian elephants to exhibit woolly mammoth physical traits. Their goal is to have the first calf born by the end of 2028. Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal, stated that the team has been analyzing ancient mammoth genomes and comparing them with those of Asian elephants to identify key differences. They have already begun editing the genomes of Asian elephant cells.

The team modified nine genes linked to hair color, texture, length, and follicle development, many of which influence mouse fur, aiming to recreate mammoth-like traits such as golden hair. Two of these genes, also found in mammoths, were altered to enhance woolly coat characteristics. In contrast, another gene related to fat metabolism present in both mice and mammoths was disrupted to aid cold adaptation. Using advanced techniques and technology, the researchers simultaneously made up to eight edits across seven genes.

The Wooly Mammoth was actually very key to the environment back then, they provided our ancestors with vital resources such as meat due to the richness in protein and fat, and their bones were used for materials and art. Their dung was also used as a natural fertilizer. This project will be the foundation and they will use the research and the results to possibly bring back other extinct animals. 

According to many researchers and scientists, about 30,000 species per year are being driven to extinction, the World Animal Foundation predicts that about half of the species will disappear at the end of 2050, and the United Nations declared over a million plants and animal species in danger of extinction very soon. Colossal and other companies alike are trying their absolute best, putting all the money and resources into protecting our wildlife and making sure we don’t lose what we once had. 

Sources
Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company
Guardian