Explained | Can the dodo be brought back to life?

Researchers have succeeded in isolating the entire genome of the dodo, a bird that went extinct in the 17th century

“Can we bring animals back from extinction?” In a panel discussion on this topic organised recently by the Royal Society, evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro mentioned that if there were an animal she would like to bring back from extinction, it was the dodo. This follows on the fact that researchers at her lab at the University of California, Santa Cruz have succeeded in isolating the entire genome of the dodo.

The dodo is a bird that lived in the Mauritius region and was last spotted 350 years back, in 1662. Since then it has become extinct. It would not be exaggerating to say that it is the very symbol of extinction. The phrase “dead as a dodo” is common in English to refer to something totally dead. The form of the bird has been revived from old drawings and the closest resemblance is in an Indian Mughal painting rediscovered in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. In the painting it is slimmer and browner than in other descriptions. It is believed to be a more accurate depiction because it is pictured along with other birds which can be easily identified. The painting is by Mughal painter Ustad Mansur, probably commissioned by Emperor Jahangir who was famous for getting flora and fauna documented in paintings.

So, bringing the dodo alive would be the ultimate story of de-extinction.

A species endemic to the island of Mauritius, the dodo is believed to be about 1 metre tall, flightless and weighed between 10 and 18 kilograms. Its real appearance is known only from paintings and drawings which vary a lot.

Beth Shapiro’s lab has sequenced the complete genome of the dodo, in work that is as yet unpublished, and she says that the closest living relative of the dodo is the Nicobar pigeon.

You need a specimen of the animal that has not been fossilized over the ages. Icy places like permafrost may contain remains of living beings in such a preserved form.

A small piece about the size of a finger-nail is taken from these specimens, and broken into small pieces. In an absolutely uncontaminated state, this is added to a PCR kit which multiplies the genome and makes many, many copies. From these fragments, the entire genome is pieced together, comparing it to genomes of other, living close relatives.