AI aids effort to revive extinct dodo bird
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American biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences is making progress toward bringing the dodo bird back to life.
The dodo, a flightless bird with a large, curved beak, once lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean but became extinct in the 17th century due to human activity. Scientists at Colossal Biosciences developed an artificial intelligence platform, called GenoMorph, to identify genetic changes responsible for the dodo’s distinctive skull and beak shape.
The team plans to use cells from the Nicobar pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative, and modify their genes to recreate the dodo’s traits. Currently, the company has reconstructed 95 percent of the dodo’s genome. They are also breeding Nicobar pigeons in Texas, increasing their colony to 36 birds to better understand their genetics and development. Colossal Biosciences intends to eventually return the dodo to Mauritius, but this requires environmental preparation.
The company is collaborating with scientists, conservation organizations, and the Mauritian government to control invasive predators and restore habitats. The dodo went extinct within decades of human arrival on Mauritius, largely due to invasive species and hunting, and the company hopes its revival will demonstrate that extinction isn't always irreversible.
