Scientists are attempting to bring the bluebuck back from extinction, a Texas biotech start-up has announced.
Colossal Biosciences said on Thursday that its researchers would use genetic technology in an effort to bring back the bluebuck, the first large African mammal to go extinct in modern history.
The bluebuck, an antelope once native to southern Africa and known for its silvery-blue coat and curved horn, was hunted to extinction around 1800 during the European colonial settlement of the Cape, mere decades after its scientific discovery.
The project is part of Colossal’s wider “de-extinction” programme, aiming to revive species such as the dire wolf, the woolly mammoth and the dodo.
The bluebuck is the sixth species added to that list and the first antelope to be included in their pioneering efforts.
Colossal’s chief executive Ben Lamm said the project is a “pivotal step” to help “protect entire ecosystems”.
Mr Lamm said: “The bluebuck represents a pivotal step forward for Colossal and conservation, marking our first major focus on antelope conservation — one we can now pursue because of major developments with the necessary technologies.
“The bluebuck sits within the bovid family, allowing us to extend our mammalian work into a new group of animals with different reproductive biology, size, and gestation timelines.
“Every reproductive technology, genome editing protocol, and conservation tool we develop through this effort is designed to scale — directly benefiting the 29 antelope species currently at risk.
“By focusing on the bluebuck, we’re not only working to restore a lost species, but also building solutions that can help protect entire ecosystems.”
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 29 of the world’s 90 antelope species are threatened with extinction, with populations declining in most species.
Several, including the addax and dama gazelle, are classified as critically endangered.
Colossal said that their bluebuck project, which began in 2024, could help develop new tools to protect those animals.
Dr Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s chief science officer, said: “African antelopes have long been neglected in global conservation.
“While other megafauna benefit from advanced reproductive technologies and extensive genomic research, antelopes — despite being among the most diverse and rapidly declining large mammals on Earth — have been left behind.
“The bluebuck de-extinction project changes that. We’re bringing back a species that played a vital role in its ecosystem, and building the scientific foundation for antelope conservation before more of its relatives are lost.”
Researchers at Colossal explained the de-extinction process involved reconstructing a high-quality genome of the bluebuck using preserved specimens and studying its genetic make-up.
The scientists are now working with cells from the roan antelope – the bluebuck’s close relative – and genetically modifying those cells to introduce bluebuck DNA, with the aim of eventually creating embryos that could be carried by surrogate animals.
The company also reported progress in breeding technology, including successful procedures to collect eggs from living antelope, which could support conservation efforts for endangered species.
Colossal said it is working with conservation groups in South Africa to plan for habitat restoration and the possible reintroduction of the bluebuck if the project succeeds. Independent experts are also assessing environmental and regulatory issues.
No timeline has been given for when a living bluebuck might be produced but long term, the goal is to rewild the species in South Africa’s renosterveld habitat.