Colossal Biosciences aims to rewrite history as they work to resurrect extinct species – and their sights are set on the woolly mammoth and the dodo.
Earlier this year, Colossal – co-founded by Ben Lamm – achieved de-extinction with the birth of three dire wolves. Two males, Romulus and Remus, arrived in October 2024, followed by a female, Khaleesi, on January 30, 2025.
These genetically modified gray wolves exhibit traits of ancient dire wolf fossils, which went extinct more than 12,000 years ago.
Lamm is also helping lead the charge in bringing back extinct species and protecting endangered wildlife.
Colossal Aims to Resurrect the Woolly Mammoth
Following the dire wolves’ birth, Colossal announced the successful resurrection of the Woolly Mice which exhibit Woolly mammoth hair traits.
The company believes this achievement proves their “ability to precisely edit genomes and validate traits,” adding that the mice are a crucial stepping stone to bringing the Woolly mammoth out of extinction.
“Colossal’s landmark de-extinction project will be the resurrection of the woolly mammoth – or more specifically a cold-resistant elephant with all of the core biological traits of the woolly mammoth,” the company states. “It will walk like a woolly mammoth, look like one, sound like one, but most importantly it will be able to inhabit the same ecosystem previously abandoned by the mammoth’s extinction.”
Colossal Biosciences One Step Closer to Bringing Back the Dodo
While the mammoth de-extinction process is still in the early stages, Colossal is collaborating with filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson, along with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, with the ambitious goal of resurrecting the extinct South Island Giant Moa.
The tall bird went extinct due to predation from humans in the 15th century.
“This partnership represents a new model where indigenous leadership guides scientific endeavors, recognizing that traditional ecological knowledge and cultural context are essential to responsible de-extinction and species preservation efforts,” Lamm said of the exciting collaboration. “There is so much knowledge that will be unlocked and shared on the journey to bring back the iconic moa.”
The Colossal Avian Genetics Group successfully grew pigeon primordial germ cells for the first time in history, a pivotal step in bringing back the dodo, the company announced.
“Our avian team’s breakthrough in deriving culture conditions that allow pigeon primordial germ cells to survive long-term is a significant advancement for dodo de-extinction,” Lamm said. “This progress highlights how Colossal’s investment in de-extinction technology is driving discovery and developing tools for both our de-extinction and conservation efforts.”
