Colossal Biosciences Initiates 'De-Extinction' Project for African Bluebuck
Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based biotech company, has announced a project aimed at resurrecting the extinct bluebuck, an antelope species that once roamed Southern Africa. The bluebuck, also known as the blue antelope, became extinct due to hunting, habitat loss, and competition with livestock. The company has extracted DNA from a bluebuck specimen housed in the Swedish Museum of Natural History to reconstruct its genome. Using the roan antelope as a surrogate, Colossal is editing its DNA to resemble the bluebuck's genetic makeup. The project involves creating a laboratory-grown embryo to be carried by a roan antelope, with a gestation period of nine months. This initiative marks Colossal's first project focused on mainland Africa, following its work on other extinct species like the woolly mammoth and the dodo. 
