This Apex Predator Went Extinct. We Should Bring It Back.

Quick Overview

The video concludes that while de-extinction methods like gene editing offer theoretical possibilities for bringing back extinct species or conferring ancient traits onto living relatives, practical reality is far more complex, as demonstrated by the challenges in reviving the Thylacine and the ethical debates surrounding the creation of near-replicas rather than true extinct animals.

Key Points: De-extinction projects, like those aiming to revive the Thylacine, are focusing on 'Genetic Rescue' (gene editing) rather than cloning due to the poor quality of ancient DNA/cells. The Thylacine's closest living relative is the Fat-tailed Dunnart, sharing 99.9% of its genetic makeup, but the key difference lies in a single letter of genetic code related to toxin resistance. The Bucardo (Pyrenean Ibex) was successfully cloned in 2003, but the clone died minutes after birth due to lung defects, illustrating the difficulty of bringing back animals even with viable cells. Gene editing for de-extinction involves taking specific genes (like cold adaptation or thick fur from a mammoth) from ancient DNA and inserting them into a close living relative (like an Asian Elephant). The speaker suggests that the focus should shift from creating exact replicas to 'Genetic Rescue'—using ancient DNA to increase genetic diversity in critically endangered species like the Black-footed Ferret and Tasmanian Devil, which suffer from small population bottlenecks. The environmental impact of extinct apex predators, like the Thylacine, highlights the need for careful consideration of ecological roles before reintroducing any genetically altered species.

Context: This video explores the scientific and ethical landscape of de-extinction, a field gaining traction with companies like Colossal Biosciences attempting to revive species such as the Woolly Mammoth, Dire Wolf, and Thylacine. The discussion moves beyond the science fiction concept of cloning to examine modern techniques like gene editing ('Genetic Rescue') and addresses the broader ecological and ethical implications of bringing back extinct animals or engineering traits into living ones.