The company intends to create a hybrid by modifying genes of roan and sable antelopes to resemble the bluebuck. The technique, previously used to recreate the dire wolf 12,000 years after extinction, produces a genetically-engineered hybrid rather than a true resurrection, according to media reports. Scientists have been working on the bluebuck project for two years and claim key breakthroughs, media reports indicate.
The genome was reconstructed from a historical bluebuck specimen at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, with genes for its smaller size, bluish-grey coat, and white facial pattern identified, according to multiple reports. Colossal has not specified a timeline for the species' return but is seeking rewilding sites in South Africa, media reports say. CEO Ben Lamm said the bluebuck marks a pivotal step forward for conservation and that the tools developed will help protect entire ecosystems.