Colossal Biosciences Creates Woolly Mouse in Quest to Revive the Woolly Mammoth by 2028

Why This Matters for the Woolly Mammoth Revival

If the woolly mouse proves successful in cold environments, it could provide evidence that these genes would help a future woolly mammoth survive in arctic conditions. This would be a critical milestone toward reintroducing mammoth-like elephants into the wild.

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Colossal Biosciences’ Funding and Expanding Ambitions

Colossal Biosciences has quickly become a major player in the field of genetic engineering.

A $10.2 Billion Valuation and Massive Investment

In January 2025, the company announced a $200 million funding round, bringing its total valuation to $10.2 billion. Investors have been impressed with the rapid progress of its de-extinction technology, fueling confidence in its long-term goals.

Beyond Mammoths: The Return of Other Extinct Species

Colossal Biosciences isn’t stopping with the woolly mammoth. The company is also working on de-extincting:

• The Tasmanian Tiger – A carnivorous marsupial that disappeared in the 20th century.
• The Dodo Bird – An iconic flightless bird that vanished in the 1600s.

By applying its gene-editing techniques to multiple species, the company hopes to establish a framework for bringing back extinct animals and even preserving endangered species.

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Challenges in Reviving the Woolly Mammoth

Despite the excitement, experts warn that creating a fully functional woolly mammoth is significantly more complex than modifying a mouse.

Genetic Differences Between Elephants and Mammoths

David Gold, a paleobiology professor at UC Davis, points out that while producing mammoth-like fur in mice is exciting, there are hundreds of genetic differences between mammoths and elephants. Overcoming these differences will require significant advancements in genetic engineering.

Technical and Ethical Challenges

1. Modifying an Elephant Embryo – Unlike mice, elephants have much longer reproductive cycles, making experiments slow and expensive.
2. Creating a Viable Hybrid – Scientists need to ensure that modified elephant embryos can develop into healthy animals.
3. Ethical Concerns – Some argue that resources should be focused on protecting existing species rather than reviving extinct ones.

While Colossal Biosciences is optimistic, these challenges highlight the long road ahead before a true woolly mammoth can be brought back.

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Colossal Biosciences Calls the Woolly Mouse a “Watershed Moment”

Despite the hurdles, Colossal Biosciences sees the woolly mouse as a major proof of concept.

A Breakthrough in De-Extinction Science

Co-founder and CEO Ben Lamm called the woolly mouse a “watershed moment” for the company’s mission. He emphasized that the genetically modified mice were born healthy and displayed the exact traits scientists had predicted.

A Step Closer to De-Extinction

Lamm also noted an unexpected result: the woolly mice were much cuter than expected. While that may not be a scientific metric, it underscores the excitement surrounding the project. With this breakthrough, Colossal Biosciences moves one step closer to proving that de-extinction is possible.

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What’s Next?

The successful creation of a woolly mouse marks a major milestone in the quest to bring back the woolly mammoth. While significant challenges remain, this experiment shows that mammoth genes can be successfully introduced into living animals.

The coming years will determine whether Colossal Biosciences can scale this technology to larger animals like elephants. If successful, the dream of seeing a woolly mammoth roam the Earth once again could become a reality. Until then, the woolly mouse serves as a small but fascinating glimpse into the future of genetic science.