Extinct giant bear from Ice Age & 5ft tall beaver could be revived by scientists already working on bringing back Dodo
A GIANT bear which has been extinct for 11,000 years and a 5ft tall beaver could be resurrected by scientists that has been busy trying to bring back the Dodo.
De-extinction experts have compiled a “very long list” of animals they hope to bring back to the modern world.
The CEO of a landmark gene-editing company told The Sun they are hoping to bring back the long-extinct Dodo by 2028 after humans ate them all.
Colossal Biosciences, understood to be the world’s first de-extinction company, is trying to bring back the woolly mammoth, Tasmanian tiger and Dodo back from the dead.
And now, the chief science officer at the company said they are also wanting to bring back a giant bear and a 5ft beaver.
Prof Beth Shapiro, told The Telegraph: “One of my favourite extinct species is a thing called Arctodus, the giant short-faced bear, which stood 14ft tall, and giant beaver that lived in North America, which would have stood up to be about 5ft tall. That would be funny.”
The first-of-its-kind, Colossal Biosciences is an American corporation with its eyes set on reviving the mammoth, Tasmanian tiger and the Dodo.
Amongst the hopeful creatures the company has set its hopes on bringing back Arctodus, an extinct mammal that was thought to be the largest ever land-dwelling species to inhabit North America.
At 14ft high, the furry herbivore would stand as tall as a human male, whilst on its four legs.
Those frightened of existing rodents might not be too pleased to hear that the giant beaver has also been listed as a hopeful to return.
Some 10,000 years ago Casoroides went extinct, with recovered skeletons suggesting the animals had six-inch teeth and could swim underwater.
To non-scientists and the general public, the notion of de-extinction may seem completely foreign and faintly like the plot of a blockbuster.
However, Colossal have been working on the project for the past three years and have since announced that the woolly mammoth could be brought back via artificial womb by 2028.
It comes as the CEO of the landmark gene-editing company told The Sun that this may not be the first species to be born by that year.
In a recent interview Ben Lamm said: “I don’t believe the mammoth will be the first species.
“You know, it’s 22 months of gestation (incubation).
Thanks to the team at Colossal Biosciences, the woolly mammoth species could be preceded by the dodo which they hope could then be released to its natural habitat.
The proxy bird could see the phrase “dead as a dodo” go extinct in a tremendous and painstaking genome sequencing from real specimens.
Finding a close relative to the dodo could be all it takes to create a full set of genetic ingredients to bring about a new version of the flightless creature.
Previously, there has been dispute over when the dodo went extinct but they were known to be easy to catch, often living together in small wooded island areas.
The company has already spoken out to dispute anyone hoping to hunt the animals, suggesting they would work with Governments globally to prohibit history repeating itself.
How is it done?
While these animals are expected to visually resemble the extinct species they're modelled on, they will be genetically engineered versions.
For example, scientists hope to edit gene cells taken from a well-preserved woolly mammoth that was found frozen.
They will then combine those genes with the genes of an Asian elephant, the woolly mammoth’s closest living relative.
Scientists will also isolate the cold-resistant traits of a woolly mammoth, such as its thick hair, to insert into the Asian elephants genome.
Essentially, Colossal will create a cold-resistant version of the Asian elephant to exist in the Arctic Tundra.
Similar techniques will be used for the Tasmanian tiger and the dodo.