Once native to Australia, the Tasmanian tiger -- also known as the thylacine -- disappeared in 1936. Now, a new wave of genetic research is bringing the species back into scientific conversation through the fast-moving field of de-extinction.
Researchers have extracted usable DNA from one of 13 preserved joeys kept in museum and university collections. That material has helped build a genome map, opening the door to efforts aimed at creating a functional thylacine equivalent through advanced gene editing.
The project is being led by University of Melbourne geneticist Andrew Pask in collaboration with Colossal, the biotechnology company co-founded by Ben Lamm and Harvard geneticist George Church. Their broader ambition is to use modern biology to restore species that once played key ecological roles.
Scientists see marsupials as promising candidates for this kind of work because their short gestation periods may make surrogate-based reproduction more practical. In theory, that could speed up testing and refinement compared with larger mammals such as elephants.
At the same time, the idea is prompting a wider debate in conservation science. Supporters argue that bringing back a lost predator could help restore ecological balance in Tasmania and inspire new tools for protecting endangered species today. Others say the real value may lie less in a literal comeback and more in the technologies developed along the way.
Those tools could also support efforts beyond the thylacine, including reproductive technologies for marsupials and new conservation methods for species such as koalas. In that sense, the project may function as both a scientific experiment and a catalyst for broader biodiversity innovation.
The larger question is not only whether de-extinction is possible, but how society should guide it. As research advances, the thylacine project is likely to shape future thinking about ecosystem restoration, genetic engineering, and the next era of conservation.