Scientists will bring this extinct tiger back to life, how?

Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) is a carnivorous marsupial mammal that once lived in Australia, Tasmania, and Papua New Guinea. This animal became extinct about a hundred years ago.

With advances in science and technology, scientists are now trying to bring the Tasmanian tiger back to life through advances in genome sequencing.

This process is expected to produce thylacines within the next three years. So, what does a genome sequence look like, and what is the process of bringing this animal back to life?

Tasmanian Tiger Livelihood Project

The Tasmanian tiger survival project is led by the de-extinction and conservation company, Colossal, in the United States, in collaboration with the University of Melbourne in Australia.

“We have produced an ancient genome that will accelerate the thylacine eradication project,” Colossal scientist Beth Shapiro said in a statement. news.com.auannounced on Thursday (24/10/2024).

The genome is all the genetic information contained in an organism’s DNA. The genome includes all the genes and DNA sequences in every cell of the organism.

Scientists will perform a genome sequence on one of the preserved thylacine specimens. The last known thylacine died at Hobart Zoo in 1936.

According to scientists, the relatively recent extinction of the Tasmanian tiger means that this specimen has been well preserved with the help of technology. Furthermore, the genome found in the thylacine sample was of better quality compared to other samples.

“This genome is the first for an extinct species, and a feat that many scientists believe would never be accomplished for an extinct species,” said Shapiro.

DNA replication and hybridization technology

After sequencing the genome, scientists will use reproductive technology to induce ovulation in dunnarts, a type of marsupial that lives in Australia.

With induction of ovulation, they can control when dunnarts enter fertility, allowing scientists to determine the best time to produce more eggs.

“These eggs can then be used to create new embryos, and, in the end, these eggs will be the host of our edited thylacine genome,” explained the researchers.

After producing new embryos, scientists take DNA from dogs and wolves to create jaw and skull genes typical of thylacines. By mixing DNA from different species, scientists will try to bring the thylacine back to life.

This project is expected to take about three years, and if successful the animals will be released within the next ten years.

Possible causes of the extinction of the Thylacine

According to the Australian Museum, the exact cause of the thylacine’s extinction has not yet been determined. However, the population continued to decline in their natural habitat before finally becoming extinct.

It is thought that competition with other animals, namely jays, is one of the factors in the population decline. Additionally, poaching by humans for over 2,000 years may have contributed to the extinction of this animal.

The Tasmanian tiger was once considered a pest by people because it often preyed on livestock. It is believed that this is the reason why there is so much persecution and hunting by humans, which has reduced the population of this animal.

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