The project, actively in progress, is powered by world-first breakthroughs in antelope reproduction and stem cell science; supported by local South African conservation organizations to support thoughtful rewilding efforts; and provides new technologies positioned to reverse centuries of decline across threatened antelope species
DALLAS, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Colossal Biosciences, the world’s first de-extinction company, announces the bluebuck as the sixth species in its de-extinction portfolio. The bluebuck (Hippotragus leucophaeus), which disappeared in 1800, represents extinction directly attributable to human activities during the colonial era. The bluebuck had a distinctive morphology, featuring a silvery slate-blue coat, a unique facial pattern, striking horns, and smaller in size compared to its closest relatives. The bluebuck de-extinction project, which joins Colossal’s previously announced species including the woolly mammoth, dodo, thylacine, moa and dire wolf, is a bold response to a growing endangerment crisis among African antelopes.
Antelopes are increasingly at risk, with many species facing a high likelihood of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, and the impacts of climate change. Data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) highlight the urgency of the crisis: of the world’s 90 antelope species, 29 are currently threatened with extinction, and populations are declining in 62% of antelope species. Five species—the addax, hirola, Ader’s duiker, dama gazelle, and saiga—are now classified as Critically Endangered, underscoring the need for immediate conservation action.
“The bluebuck represents a pivotal step forward for Colossal and conservation, marking our first major focus on antelope conservation—one we can now pursue because of major developments with the necessary technologies,” said Ben Lamm, Co-Founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences. “The bluebuck sits within the bovid family, allowing us to extend our mammalian work into a new group of animals with different reproductive biology, size, and gestation timelines. Every reproductive technology, genome editing protocol, and conservation tool we develop through this effort is designed to scale—directly benefiting the 29 antelope species currently at risk. By focusing on the bluebuck, we’re not only working to restore a lost species, but also building solutions that can help protect entire ecosystems.”
The bluebuck, once native to southern Africa, was the first large African mammal to go extinct during recorded history. Hunted to extinction for the unique color of their skins, the silvery slate-blue bluebuck went extinct around 1800, only 34 years after it was first documented scientifically. Standing approximately four feet tall at the shoulder and with horns reaching nearly two feet (up to 56.5 centimeters) in length, it was smaller than its close relatives—the roan and sable antelopes—but shared their distinctive features, including a sturdy neck and long, backward-curving, ringed black horns.
“African antelopes have long been neglected in global conservation,” said Dr. Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal Biosciences. “While other megafauna benefit from advanced reproductive technologies and extensive genomic research, antelopes—despite being among the most diverse and rapidly declining large mammals on Earth—have been left behind. The bluebuck de-extinction project changes that. We’re bringing back a species that played a vital role in its ecosystem, and building the scientific foundation for antelope conservation before more of its relatives are lost.”
Colossal’s bluebuck project has been underway since 2024 and the team has already delivered major scientific and technological breakthroughs. The project combines cutting-edge de-extinction science with an innovative conservation technology platform for bovids—a diverse family of more than 140 species of cloven-hoofed, hollow-horned herbivores, including cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, bison, and antelopes. Significant technological advances already achieved include:
- Paleogenome and Computational Analysis: Generated the world’s first high coverage 40-fold genome of a historical bluebuck to confirm the phylogenetic affinities between bluebucks and related antelopes, and identified genetic variants linked to the bluebuck’s key traits,
- Advanced cellular engineering: Generated the world’s first induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from roan antelope
- Genome editing: The team are now in the editing phase, using several approaches to engineer bluebuck variants into the roan iPSCs
- Reproductive technologies: Achieved the world’s first successful ovum pick-up (OPU) procedures in two antelope species—a historic breakthrough that fundamentally transforms what is possible in assisted reproduction for endangered antelope and opens a direct pathway from biobanked genetics to living animals
- Global biobanking infrastructure: Launched a global biobanking initiative to capture and preserve genetic diversity across threatened antelope species worldwide, building the biological safety net that will underpin antelope conservation for generations to come
- On-the-ground conservation and rewilding: Collaborating with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), a leading South African conservation organization, on conservation planning, habitat restoration, and rewilding readiness; and Advanced Conservation Strategies (ACS) as an independent, third-party environmental consultant supporting reintroduction planning, site selection, and regulatory assessments.
PIONEERING SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS
BLUEBUCK PALEOGENOME AND GENOME ENGINEERING
Colossal scientists, in collaboration with academic partners, generated a 40-fold coverage nuclear genome from a historical bluebuck specimen housed in the Swedish Museum of Natural History, producing one of the highest-quality paleogenomes ever assembled for an extinct species. This work, which was led by Colossal Scientific Advisory Board member Dr. Michael Hofreiter, Professor for Evolutionary Adaptive Genomics, University of Potsdam, and published in Current Biology, provided the first genomic insights into this extinct antelope species and established critical baseline data for the current de-extinction effort.
Genomic analyses confirmed that the bluebuck’s closest living relatives are the sable and roan antelope, establishing the roan as the primary genomic reference and cellular surrogate for the de-extinction program. The team also reconstructed the bluebuck’s long-term population history, revealing that the species maintained low but stable genomic diversity for at least 400,000 years prior to its extinction, with no signs of inbreeding, suggesting the bluebuck had adapted to life at small population sizes over evolutionary timescales. This finding reframes the bluebuck’s extinction as a consequence of rapid colonial-era disturbance rather than genomic vulnerability, underscoring that the species was biologically resilient until European hunting and landscape transformation in the 18th century eliminated it within 150 years.
“Our initial genomic work with Colossal scientists on bluebuck specimens two years ago demonstrated that viable DNA could be recovered from this extinct species and placed it within the evolutionary context of other African antelopes,” said Dr. Hofreiter. “These data points are now the foundation for an actual restoration project. The technological advances Colossal has made, transformed what was possible even a few years ago, taking us from reading ancient genomes to rewriting them for conservation.”
Building on these genomic data, the bluebuck project is advancing genomic data analysis, cell line isolation, genotype-to-phenotype mapping, and genome engineering approaches. Colossal generated chromosome-scale reference genomes from the two closest living relatives of the bluebuck—the roan and sable antelopes—and used these to identify the key genetic differences that defined all three antelopes. For the bluebuck, the team identified genetic changes that underlie its smaller body size, bluish-gray coat coloration, and characteristic white facial pattern, and are targeting both coding and regulatory regions associated with these traits for engineering.
ROAN iPSCs
Colossal announced a major breakthrough in generating the world’s first induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from roan antelope. iPSCs are reprogrammed adult cells that have been returned to a stem-cell-like state, giving them the ability to differentiate into virtually any tissue type in the body. This flexibility makes them a powerful platform for de-extinction science: by introducing bluebuck-specific genetic variants into roan iPSCs and then differentiating those edited cells into relevant tissue types, such as skin, muscle, or pigment-producing melanocytes, Colossal scientists can test hypotheses about how specific genomic changes affect biology and development without needing to produce a living animal.
Beyond their role in de-extinction, roan iPSCs can also be used to generate artificial gametes, supporting assisted reproduction efforts for living antelope populations that are difficult to breed through conventional means. The roan iPSC platform thus serves as both the genomic surrogate for the bluebuck de-extinction program and a durable conservation tool for bovid species more broadly.
“iPSCs from roan antelope are valuable far beyond the bluebuck project,” said Shapiro. “Once you have a pluripotent cell line, you can differentiate it into virtually any tissue type, which means you can test how genetic changes affect biology without needing a living animal. That matters enormously for species where every individual counts. We’re building this platform for bluebuck, but the conservation applications for living antelope species, including generating gametes from biobanked material, are just as significant as the de-extinction work itself.”
OVUM PICK UP
Colossal scientists developed breakthrough ovum pickup (OPU) techniques purpose-built for antelope species, enabling minimally invasive, scalable collection of oocytes from live animals. The Colossal team engineered novel ultrasonographic equipment, optimized hormone stimulation protocols from the ground up, and achieved world-first successes in OPU with two antelope species, the roan antelope and scimitar-horned oryx. These techniques mark a decisive turning point in reproductive technologies for bovid conservation and are detailed in a scientific preprint on biorxiv.
With OPU now proven across two of the bluebuck’s closest living relatives, Colossal is rapidly scaling this technology across additional antelope species—building the assisted reproduction infrastructure that will allow biobanked genetic material from endangered populations to become viable embryos, and ultimately, living animals capable of restoring species on the brink.
“The specialized ovum pickup protocols we’ve developed for antelopes are game-changers for conservation breeding,” explained Matt James, Chief Animal Officer at Colossal Biosciences. “Previously, collecting viable oocytes from wild bovid species was nearly impossible and lacked scalability, limiting abilities to develop conservation technologies to support dwindling antelope populations. These new techniques dramatically expand our conservation toolkit and are exactly the kind of technological spillover we aim for in our de-extinction work.”
BIOBANKING
The Colossal Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Colossal Biosciences that focuses on endangered species conservation initiatives, is leading an ambitious, globally-scaled BioVault initiative with an immediate priority focus on threatened antelope species—creating a living genetic library that will serve as the foundation for antelope conservation for generations to come. This program encompasses the collection, processing, and long-term preservation of genetic material from diverse populations of threatened bovids across Africa, building a crucial reservoir of biodiversity against an accelerating extinction crisis.
The reproductive breakthroughs unlocked by the bluebuck de-extinction program create a direct pipeline from biobank to recovery: genetic material collected today can be transformed into viable embryos tomorrow, giving conservation programs a biological safety net that didn’t previously exist. The initiative is designed to operate at scale with field-optimized collection protocols for remote habitats, specialized preservation techniques tailored to the unique cellular biology of bovid species, the establishment of regional biobanking facilities, and investment in building the capacity of local partners across Africa. This is not a passive archive. It is an active, deployable toolkit for species recovery.
CONSERVATION AND REWILDING EFFORTS
The Colossal Foundation is engaging with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), one of southern Africa’s most respected conservation organizations, in respect of the bluebuck restoration project in South Africa, to ensure that scientific innovation translates directly into responsible and measurable socio-environmental impacts.
The bluebuck’s restoration will be leveraged as a catalyst for landscape-scale ecological recovery across its historic range. The species once roamed the open grassland ecosystems of South Africa’s southwestern Cape—habitats within the Cape Floristic Region that have been dramatically reduced and degraded by land conversion, invasive species, and climate change. Restoring these landscapes creates cascading benefits for the dozens of endemic species that depend on them, amplifying the conservation return of every investment made in the bluebuck’s return.
“The Endangered Wildlife Trust is committed to ensuring that any efforts to restore extinct species in South Africa are grounded in the integrity of the ecological system as a whole, and will not negatively impact existing indigenous wildlife and local communities in South Africa, but create meaningful benefits for both,” said Yolan Friedmann, Chief Executive Officer of the EWT. “We are engaging with the Colossal Foundation to help inform key ecological considerations, as well as stakeholder engagement, as part of Colossal’s plans to explore a responsible pathway for the potential return of the Bluebuck.”
South Africa has a modern, well developed environmental legislative framework, including principles that must be applied to environmental management such that “the social, economic and environmental impacts of activities, including disadvantages and benefits, must be considered, assessed and evaluated, and decisions must be appropriate in the light of such consideration and assessment,” (section 2(4)(i) of NEMA).
In parallel, Colossal has formed a strategic collaboration with Advanced Conservation Strategies (ACS), led by renowned conservation ecologist Dr. Josh Donlan, to develop a comprehensive rewilding feasibility study. ACS is conducting rigorous evaluation of potential reintroduction sites, ecological requirements, population viability, partner landscapes, and regulatory pathways—building the evidence-based framework that will govern every future decision about the bluebuck’s reintroduction. Together, EWT and ACS ensure that when the bluebuck is ready to return, the landscape, the science, the communities, and the regulatory environment will be ready to receive it.
“Our partnership with Colossal is grounded in science and guided by conservation best practices,” said Dr. Donlan, Founder and Director of Advanced Conservation Strategies. “Together we’re developing an evidence-based roadmap for potential rewilding efforts that align with international and local governance frameworks and best practices while maximizing conservation benefits and minimizing risks.”
Colossal emphasizes that all aspects of this project will operate within established international frameworks governing genetic engineering, animal welfare, and wildlife management. The next phase will include identifying additional partners across government agencies, conservation organizations, and academic institutions to ensure appropriate oversight and expertise.
“We recognize that bringing back the bluebuck is just the first step in a much longer, strategic journey,” explained Ben Lamm. “Working with Josh Donlan and ACS allows us to proactively address the complex ecological, ethical, and regulatory considerations of reintroduction long before any animals are ready for release. We’re committed to ensuring this project meets the highest standards of scientific rigor and regulatory compliance throughout the entire process.”
R. Alta Charo, Warren P. Knowles Professor Emerita of Law and Bioethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an advisor to Colossal, has long argued that the biodiversity crisis demands bold science pursued responsibly. For Charo, the bluebuck project reflects both. “De-extinction done well is an act of ecological responsibility as well as scientific ambition,” Charo said. “Colossal’s work exemplifies this: advancing de-extinction science while simultaneously strengthening conservation for living species, with each effort reinforcing the other. That combination, pursued in an ethically informed and socially engaged way, is what responsible innovation looks like.
For Colossal and its partners, this effort is about more than scientific achievement. By grounding the work in local collaboration and respect for the history of the land and the communities connected to it, the project is positioned to deliver conservation benefits well beyond the return of the iconic bluebuck itself.
Dr. Yoshan Moodley, Professor of Zoology at the University of Venda in South Africa and scientific collaborator on the project, emphasized the bluebuck’s regional and cultural significance. “The bluebuck is emblematic of southern Africa’s lost natural heritage. By combining ancient DNA analysis with cutting-edge genomic technologies, we’re gaining valuable insights into its distinguishing genetic adaptations with a view to reconstructing this extinct species. Although the bluebuck was endemic to South Africa, knowledge of its evolutionary adaptations and when, why and how they occurred, could help the conservation of other rare and specialised African ungulates, particularly as we face challenges from climate change and habitat fragmentation. This project creates a unique bridge between de-extinction science and practical conservation for African ungulates.”
EXPANDED CONSERVATION IMPACT
The bluebuck de-extinction project is not just bringing back one species, it is building a conservation revolution for antelopes worldwide. Every technology Colossal develops, every protocol optimized, and every genome sequenced through this program becomes a force multiplier for the 29 antelope species currently fighting for survival.
Colossal’s antelope biobanking program, built on the reproductive and genomic breakthroughs pioneered through this project, will create the most comprehensive genetic safety net ever assembled for bovid species—a living, deployable archive of biodiversity that gives conservationists the tools to intervene decisively before a species reaches the point of no return. For the first time, the field of antelope conservation will have access to the same caliber of advanced reproductive science, genomic infrastructure, and cellular engineering that has long been available to other flagship species.
The platform being developed through the bluebuck project—iPSC technology, optimized OPU protocols, chromosome-scale reference genomes, and field-ready biobanking capabilities—is explicitly designed to scale. Solutions proven in the lab today will be deployable across African landscapes tomorrow, giving wildlife managers, breeding programs, and conservation organizations capabilities that simply did not exist before. This is precision conservation at a scale the field has never seen.
“For too long, antelope conservation has lacked the biotechnology infrastructure that other species take for granted,” said Matt James. “The bluebuck project is changing that fundamentally. The reproductive technologies, genomic tools, and biobanking capabilities we’re building don’t stop with one species, they create a platform that can serve every threatened antelope on Earth. We’re not just working to bring back what’s been lost. We’re building the tools to make sure we never lose them again.”
COLOSSAL’S GROWING PORTFOLIO OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION
With the addition of the bluebuck, Colossal expands its de-extinction portfolio to include species from diverse taxonomic lineages (mammals across multiple orders), extinctions spanning different time periods (from ancient to recent), various extinction causes, and different geographical regions and ecosystems.
“Each species we work on presents unique scientific opportunities,” noted Dr. George Church, Co-Founder of Colossal and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. “The bluebuck project allows us to refine our genetic rescue toolkit while addressing a recent extinction where human accountability is clear and ecological niches for reintroduction and migration corridors are committed to growing by millions of square kilometers in Africa.”
About Colossal Biosciences
Colossal was founded by emerging technology and software entrepreneur Ben Lamm and world-renowned geneticist and serial biotech entrepreneur George Church, Ph.D., and is the first to apply CRISPR technology for the purposes of species de-extinction. Colossal creates innovative technologies for species restoration, critically endangered species protection and the repopulation of critical ecosystems that support the continuation of life on Earth. Colossal is accepting humanity’s duty to restore Earth to a healthier state, while also solving for the future economies and biological necessities of the human condition through cutting-edge science and technologies. To follow along, please visit: www.colossal.com.
About Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
Founded in 1973, the Endangered Wildlife Trust is dedicated to conserving threatened species and ecosystems in southern and East Africa to the benefit of all. EWT is driven by a team of passionate and dedicated conservationists working specialised units across nine strategic conservation landscapes in southern and East Africa. Their critical work includes conducting applied research, supporting community-led conservation, training and building capacity, addressing human-wildlife conflict, monitoring threatened species, and establishing safe spaces for wildlife range expansion. The EWT works with key partners, including communities, businesses, landowners, academic institutions, and governments, to create a sustainable future for wildlife and people. Find out more at ewt.org/
About Advanced Conservation Strategies
Founded in 2006, Advanced Conservation Strategies is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization in the United States. They build custom teams to solve problems, design programs, conduct research, and evaluate efforts. Operating as a group of practitioners, researchers, entrepreneurs, and friends trying hard to make the world a better place. And, become better persons along the way. ACS is small and based nowhere by design and are open to working anywhere their team can add value and have impact. Find out more at https://www.advancedconservation.org/
WEBSITE & SOCIALS
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SOURCE Colossal Biosciences Inc.
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