Science is bringing extinct animals back to the wild!

Colossal Biosciences, a US-based biotechnology and genetic engineering company, has started scientific studies to return many endangered species to their habitats. The work includes not only extinct animals but also some species that are in danger of extinction. The biotech company Colossal Biosciences and the Mauritius Wildlife Trust continue their work to return endangered animals to the wild. After more than 300 years of extinction, the dodo could return to Mauritius thanks to this bold plan. If the work achieves its goal, the dodo will be one of the species that was once extinct in the wild but has successfully returned to the wild.

Extinct in Central Europe since the 1800s, the Eurasian lynx has returned to many countries, including Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria and Germany, thanks to a reintroduction program that began in the 1970s. But the fragmentation of these populations remains an obstacle, and conservationists are now exploring ways to connect animals scattered across the continent.

The Tasmanian devil wasn't always confined to Tasmania. About 3,000 years ago, cute animals roamed Australia. When the Dingoes arrived, they were forced to leave the region. Their numbers were further reduced by Devil Face Tumor Disease, a contagious form of cancer that kills 90 percent of the remaining population. In 2020, the species was reintroduced into a wildlife sanctuary in New South Wales, Australia.

The number of Chinese crocodiles that once lived in the Yangtze River basin has declined as much of their habitat has been converted to rice paddies. A 1999 survey identified 100 Chinese crocodiles in the wild at 10 sites. In 2001, captive breeding and reintroduction programs began with a small number of reptiles being returned to protected areas. In 2019, another 120 crocodiles were released, more than doubling the wild population.

Steppe bison were an important part of the UK ecosystem until the giant mammals became extinct around 10,000 years ago. Kent Wildlife Trust is now leading a project to bring back its close relative, the European bison. The first herd was released into the forest near Canterbury in 2022.

The Arabian oryx disappeared from the wild in the 1970s due to hunting for its meat, skin and horns. It has since been reintroduced in Israel, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. More than 1,200 Arabian oryx are estimated to live in the wild, with more than 6,000 in captivity.

Black rhinos declined dramatically in the 20th century. By the 1990s, there were fewer than 2,400 black rhinos in the wild. In recent years, conservation efforts have more than doubled their numbers. Reintroduction programs allow the rhino to be returned to countries and communities where they were completely extinct. Relocating 3,000-pound animals like rhinos is no easy task. In the past decade, some animals have been transported by helicopter from areas inaccessible by road.