Woolly mammoths roamed some of the coldest places on Earth before becoming extinct around 4,000 years ago, but a new bioscience company has plans to bring them back. Scientists are planning to use DNA collected from frozen woolly mammoth remains that have been recovered, such as bones, hair, tusks, and teeth, to create a new version of the extinct giant.

The company Colossal is raising millions for their project and say the first calves could arrive in six years. The woolly mammoth and Asian elephants share a 99.6% similarity in DNA, according to the company. Scientists say they hope to use the DNA from both elephants to create a new type of elephant, one that can survive in very cold temperatures. https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/58562259

They claim that reintroducing such mammoth-like creatures to Arctic tundra environments could help stop the release of greenhouse gases from the ground and reduce future emissions as temperatures rise due to climate change. While this might sound like a far-fetched idea, scientists have actually been experimenting with something similar for over 20 years. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/can-bringing-back-mammoths-stop-climate-change-180969072/

Colossal thinks the animals could essentially re-engineer ecosystems, turning mossy tundra back to grasslands that once thrived with mammoths’ help 10,000 years ago. The hybrid animals might also help prevent permafrost (soil that’s frozen year-round) from melting, which releases old stores of planet-heating carbon dioxide.

But for Colossal to be able to fulfill its goals, it would need to ensure that there are enough of the animals to do the job that mammoths once did. Otherwise, the animal could become a sort of “eco-zombie” that doesn’t meaningfully participate in its ecosystem as it once did. Choosing animals that have recently gone extinct, or are on the verge of extinction, are better candidates. They should also be species that perform a unique function or job in its ecosystem, and that can bounce back to big enough numbers to be able to effectively do that job.

READ MORE: https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/15/22673392/woolly-mammoth-de-extinction-colossal-biodiversity-climate-change