Researchers have made notable strides in efforts to bring the woolly mammoth back through advanced cloning techniques. In 2019, a Japanese team successfully extracted viable cell nuclei from a 28,000-year-old mammoth specimen named Yuka, preserved in Siberia, and implanted them into mouse egg cells. While some cellular activity and division were observed, significant damage to the ancient cells remains a major hurdle. Scientists are pursuing improved cloning methods, including plans to use Asian elephant eggs, the mammoth’s closest living relatives, in further attempts.
Official responses highlight the complexity and limitations of the science so far. Kei Miyamoto of Kindai University explained that although signs of cell function were encouraging, fully restoring a mammoth remains implausible with current technology. The de-extinction group Revive & Restore supports ongoing genome editing efforts, aiming to create an elephant hybrid with mammoth traits suited for cold climates. Their goal is to revive proxy species that could restore tundra ecosystems rather than exact genetic replicas of extinct mammoths.
This research carries broader ecological and environmental significance. Woolly mammoths once shaped northern steppe environments by maintaining grasslands and supporting permafrost stability, factors integral to carbon sequestration and combating climate change. Restoring their ecological role through proxy species could help revitalize degraded habitats and improve ecosystem resilience. The effort also highlights emerging biotechnological advancements in conservation, raising important questions about the ethical and practical impacts of de-extinction on biodiversity and climate mitigation strategies.
Source: Ancient Code
