By Tim Binnall
A promising new candidate in the quest to revive an extinct species has emerged by way of breakthrough scientific study which managed to sequence the genome of the legendary dodo bird. The unique-looking creature once lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, but vanished from the planet after Dutch sailors arrived at the location and relied on the animal for food until there were none of them left. Over time, the flightless bird has become a symbol for extinction and the profound impact that humanity can have on the planet. However, a recent research project suggests that the creature with the comical appearance just might have the last laugh and give new meaning to the expression "go the way of the dodo."
During an online presentation to the Royal Society of Medicine, evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro reportedly made the rather surprising announcement that she and a team of researchers had unraveled the genetic blueprint of the iconic bird. "The dodo genome is entirely sequenced," she declared, indicating that the group plans to publish their tantalizing work in the near future with the Natural History Museum of Copenhagen. Shapiro explained that the discovery of a "fantastic specimen" of the animal's DNA in Denmark allowed them to overcome previous limitations found in the genetic material of the creature and, in turn, they were able to produce "a very high-quality, high-coverage, dodo genome."
While such a genetic blueprint constitutes the first step in the hypothetical process of reviving the creature, Shapiro cautioned that such science is still in its nascent stage and that, unlike with mammals, cloning a bird presents unique challenges "because of the intricacies of their reproductive pathways." That said, she noted that research efforts underway aimed at solving those problems and enthusiastically mused that "I have little doubt that we are going to get there." So while the woolly mammoth and the Tasmanian Tiger may get all the deextinction headlines, the lowly dodo may wind up besting those creatures in the proverbial race to return to the planet.