Woolly Mammoths May Be Making a Comeback

As unbelievable as it may seem, woolly mammoths are potentially returning to our planet. According to an article from The Times and multiple other sources, a startup company founded in 2021 is dedicating itself to bringing back extinct animal species. The woolly mammoth is on this company’s list for revival, among others such as the dodo, saber-toothed tiger, and dire wolf.

But why is de-extinction a priority for this company? How will this bioscience startup accomplish its goals? And what does the future have in store for humanity if mammoths are brought back to life?

This is Colossal Biosciences’ story and how they are accomplishing their world-changing goals, including woolly mammoth resurrection.

Colossal Biosciences: A Company Devoted to De-Extinction

Known to many as simply Colossal, Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences was founded in 2021 due to multiple scientific biotechnology advances. It was founded by tech entrepreneur Ben Lamm and genomics pioneer, Dr. George Church. Together, Lamm and Church aim to “jumpstart nature’s ancestral heartbeat“.

Colossal endeavors to restore extinct species for multiple reasons. Dubbed “de-extinction projects,” Colossal has multiple animals in mind for resurrection. These extinct animals will not only benefit their closely related and endangered species if they are brought back to life, but they may also help mitigate climate change.

What Work is Happening At Colossal Biosciences?

Through gene editing and rebuilding the DNA of once-lost species, Colossal aims to restore multiple animals to their original ecosystems. Diversity, particularly through the reintegration of megafauna, may assist in restoring our planet in more ways than one.

When any animal species goes extinct in a specific ecosystem, a ripple effect occurs. One extinction often spells multiple extinctions, especially when an animal as large and impactful as the mammoth is laid to rest. Colossal aims to bring back extinct species in order to restore entire ecosystems naturally, gradually, and healthily.

The woolly mammoth in particular once roamed Siberian tundras, impacting the ecosystem in many positive ways. Without their presence over the last 4,000 years, these tundras have experienced significant ecological changes, including increased ice coverage, due to a combination of factors. Colossal believes returning mammoths to their frozen wasteland environs may help restore grasslands, climate stability, and other vital species.

Species Planned For De-Extinction

Colossal has multiple animal species marked for de-extinction efforts, based on their importance in certain ecosystems and how their revival might benefit currently endangered species. For example, the thylacine or Tasmanian tiger is slated for de-extinction. The loss of this apex predator in Australia has been cited as a primary cause of food chain disruptions and extensive wildfires in the region.

The dodo is also on the docket for de-extinction. Once native to Mauritius, the dodo thrived without interruption. That is, until island colonizers brought multiple invasive species with them. The dodo went extinct sometime in the 1600s, and Mauritius has many other animals at risk today. Colossal hopes to restore the dodo and, with it, the delicate ecosystem of Mauritius.

But how does Colossal plan on accomplishing such impossible goals? With the woolly mammoth in particular, these scientists are starting small: with mice.

How Mice Become Mammoths: Colossal Biosciences’ Gene Modifications

A study completed in early March 2025 achieved the first step toward mammoth de-extinction: genetically modified woolly mice were born. These mice exhibited the same hair and cold-resistant coat found on mammoths, a re-creation giving Colossal scientists hope. By using mice to study mammoth genomes and traits, Colossal is on its way to perfecting the process and utilizing it in elephants, the obvious animal choice for woolly mammoth birth.

These woolly (and adorable) mice “provide a foundation for evaluating complex combinations of genetic modifications leading to the mammoth phenotype”. Proper hair and coat development is necessary to help de-extinct an animal that thrives in Siberian tundras, after all.

Resurrecting Mammoths: A Step-By-Step Process

Experimenting with mice is just the first step in bringing back the ancient woolly mammoth. Colossal has their entire process laid out, a process they can repeat with many other species once a successful mammoth specimen is born. This is a brief breakdown of Colossal’s plan (already in progress) for bringing back woolly mammoths:

• Source woolly mammoth samples
• Sequence mammoth DNA
• Sequence elephant DNA
• Pinpoint genes contributing to cold weather adaptation
• Acquire healthy elephant tissue samples
• Edit and splice elephant genes with cold weather adaptation genes
• Test genes on animal subjects (mice!)
• Fertilize elephant egg with successful genes
• Implant healthy egg into surrogate
• Allow baby mammoth to reach full-term

When Will Mammoths Return to Our Planet?

While woolly mammoth resurrection is considered to be Colossal’s landmark de-extinction project, there is currently no set date for when mammoths may return to our present time. However, Colossal has developed its stem cell-based solution and is currently testing it on mice. Because of this advancement, Colossal has tentatively stated a baby mammoth could be born as soon as 2028.

Still, there are many questions surrounding Colossal, lingering queries in the rest of the biotech world. Many argue against man’s need to play God, especially if it is for commercial gain (Colossal cites “commercializing evolution” on their website). Likewise, Colossal’s motivations are questioned when it comes to how they might control the land, resources, and local communities living amongst these resurrected creatures.

Time will tell if woolly mammoths return to our planet and what might happen if they do. Regardless of the outcome, Colossal’s efforts point out just how delicate our ecosystems and species are. Nonprofit conservation efforts are necessary to protect the planet, especially in these unprecedented and uncertain times.