De-extinction research programs identified for future genomic work. No active sequencing programs have begun — the tools we're building now are the infrastructure these programs will run on when the science is ready. Every dataset, pipeline, and result is publicly available and peer-reviewable.
The most genomically tractable de-extinction target. A high-quality genome, a close living relative in the Asian elephant, and well-mapped cold-adaptation loci make the mammoth the benchmark for the field. Permafrost specimens have yielded high-coverage nuclear genome data available in NCBI.
Population stable until ~14,000 BP, when rapid climate shift and human pressure converged. Ancient RNA data exists for this species, opening gene-expression research impossible with DNA alone. One of the more data-rich Pleistocene targets.
The largest terrestrial carnivore in North American history. Permafrost specimens from Alaska and the Yukon are the primary aDNA source, with the spectacled bear as the extant reference genome.
The largest lion ever, depicted in the oldest known paintings at Chauvet Cave. Two permafrost-preserved cubs yielded extraordinary nuclear genome data. Closely related to the African lion, making it one of the more tractable large-predator targets.
The largest deer that ever lived, with antlers spanning 3.7 meters. Ranged from Ireland to China across Eurasian steppe. Ancient DNA from bog and permafrost specimens is accumulating in NCBI. Phylogenetically closest to fallow deer, with divergence ~3–4 million years ago.
North America's apex canid predator for over a million years. Recent genomic work overturned its classification, revealing it as a deeply divergent lineage — not a giant gray wolf, but a separate genus that last shared a common ancestor with wolves ~5.7 million years ago.
The species that launched the ancient DNA field in 1984. Its genes still exist in living zebra populations, making it among the most accessible genomic targets. A model system for pigmentation genetics research.
A marsupial that evolved to look and hunt like a wolf. The most genomically characterized de-extinction target in existence — full genome, ancient RNA, active programs at Melbourne and Colossal. We build open-source computational tools to extend the science beyond any single organization.
A giant flightless pigeon, extinct within 80 years of human contact. The 2022 nuclear genome opened serious de-extinction research for the first time. Closest living relative is the Nicobar pigeon, which serves as the primary genomic reference.
Once the most abundant bird on Earth at 3 to 5 billion individuals. Hunted to extinction in 50 years. Museum specimens yield high-coverage genomic data. Closely related to the band-tailed pigeon. The Allee effect explains why abundance could not protect it.
The largest lion subspecies, ranging across North Africa from Egypt to Morocco. Eliminated by colonial hunting in the Atlas Mountains within a century of modern rifle introduction. A genetically distinct lineage from sub-Saharan African lions, with potential captive descendants at Rabat Zoo.
A large, cold-adapted tiger of Central Asian river valleys, eradicated by Soviet policy in the 1940s and 1950s. Genomic analysis confirms near-identity with the living Amur tiger, raising the possibility of ecological restoration with a living proxy rather than genomic reconstruction.
The largest ratite ever, reaching 3.6 meters. Hunted to extinction within 160 years of human arrival in New Zealand. Among the best-documented human-caused extinctions on record. High-quality ancient DNA is recoverable from preserved specimens, and close ratite relatives provide genomic scaffolding.
The only seal native to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, hunted to extinction by the mid-20th century. The last confirmed sighting was 1952. Closely related to the endangered Hawaiian and Mediterranean monk seals, whose genomes provide a strong reference framework for genomic reconstruction.