Colossal Biosciences (see Pulse 2.0 profile here) has announced the bluebuck as the sixth species in its de-extinction portfolio, adding an iconic and historically significant antelope to a roster that already includes the woolly mammoth, dodo, thylacine, moa, and dire wolf. The bluebuck, known scientifically as Hippotragus leucophaeus, was hunted to extinction around 1800 for its distinctive silvery slate-blue hide, making it the first large African mammal lost during recorded history and the only one to disappear just 34 years after it was first scientifically documented. Colossal says the bluebuck effort responds to a growing antelope endangerment crisis: according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 29 of the world’s 90 antelope species are currently threatened with extinction, and populations are declining in 62% of all antelope species.
The bluebuck effort has been underway since 2024 and has already produced a series of scientific firsts. Colossal assembled a 40-fold high-coverage paleogenome from a historical bluebuck specimen — one of the highest-quality paleogenomes ever produced for an extinct species, published in Current Biology. The team also generated the world’s first induced pluripotent stem cells from roan antelope, one of the bluebuck’s closest living relatives and a key genomic reference species, and conducted the world’s first successful ovum pick-up procedures in two antelope species: the roan antelope and scimitar-horned oryx. These breakthroughs open a direct pathway from biobanked genetics to living animals.
Colossal has partnered with the Endangered Wildlife Trust, one of southern Africa’s most respected conservation organizations, on ecological planning and stakeholder engagement, and with Advanced Conservation Strategies on a comprehensive feasibility study covering potential reintroduction sites, population viability, and regulatory pathways. The company emphasizes that the scientific capabilities developed through the bluebuck effort are designed to scale — every reproductive technology, genome editing protocol, and conservation tool built for the bluebuck is intended to directly benefit the 29 antelope species currently at risk of extinction.
Colossal was founded by emerging technology entrepreneur Ben Lamm and world-renowned geneticist George Church, PhD, and is the first company to apply CRISPR technology for the purposes of species de-extinction. Chief Science Officer Dr. Beth Shapiro noted that African antelopes have long been neglected in global conservation efforts and that Colossal is working to build the scientific foundation for antelope conservation before more of the bluebuck’s relatives are lost. More information about the bluebuck de-extinction effort and Colossal’s broader portfolio is available at colossal.com.
KEY QUOTES:
“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. 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.”
Ben Lamm, Co-Founder and CEO, Colossal Biosciences
