Why is it in the news?

• Scientists have initiated an ambitious Dodo De-extinction Project, aiming to resurrect the extinct dodo and reintroduce it to its original habitat in

More about the news

• It is a collaborative effort between Colossal Biosciences, a genetic engineering company, and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.
• Scientists target the primordial germ cells (PGCs) of the Nicobar pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative.
• Editing PGCs involves introducing genetic changes to express physical traits characteristic of the original dodo. Edited PGCs are inserted into the embryos of a sterile chicken and rooster.
• The chicken and rooster act as ‘interspecies surrogates’ to facilitate the reproduction process.
• Theoretically, the edited embryos will develop into chickens and roosters with dodo-like traits. Subsequent reproduction of these chickens and roosters aims to produce a new generation with characteristics resembling the extinct dodo.

Benefits of Dodo De-extinction Project

• The dodo, known for its role in seed dispersal, could contribute significantly to the restoration of the island’s ecosystem.
• The symbolic significance of bringing back the dodo could inspire heightened awareness and efforts toward global conservation.
• The technology employed in de-extinction not only revives the dodo but also contributes to the broader field of avian population conservation and restoration.