The bluebuck, a majestic antelope once recognized by its unique silvery slate-blue coat and scimitar-like horns, formerly roamed the coastal grasslands of South Africa’s south-western Cape. However, its story became a grim footnote in history when European settlers hunted the species to extinction by approximately 1800, a mere 34 years after it was first scientifically documented. Now, over two centuries later, the Dallas-based company Colossal Biosciences has announced plans to bring the bluebuck back to life, making it the sixth species in its ambitious de-extinction portfolio.
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The bluebuck joins a high-profile list of extinct animals currently being targeted by Colossal’s genetic engineering efforts. The company’s portfolio includes
- Mammals: The woolly mammoth, the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger), and the dire wolf.
- Birds: The dodo and the moa.
Colossal CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm views the project as a moral imperative. He argues that because human intervention directly caused the bluebuck’s rapid disappearance from the Cape, there is an obligation to use modern capabilities to right that wrong.
The path to resurrection relies on the close genetic relationship between the bluebuck and the roan antelope. Research has revealed that the two species share more than 98% of their genomic sequence. To bridge the remaining 2%, scientists obtained DNA from a mounted bluebuck skin preserved at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm.
The project is currently in the genome-editing phase. Scientists are introducing specific bluebuck genes into roan antelope cells. A critical milestone has already been reached with the creation of pluripotent stem cells in the roan, versatile “starter cells” capable of becoming various cell types. Once editing is complete, the team will create an embryo for implantation into a surrogate roan mother, with a projected gestation period of nine months.
Colossal has already demonstrated the viability of its methods. In April 2025, the company announced the birth of three genetically engineered wolf pups created using ancient DNA from dire wolves. These animals, which some experts classify as genetically modified grey wolves, currently live on a secure 2,000-acre ecological reserve.
While the project sparks ethical debates regarding the resurrection of extinct species, Lamm maintains that traditional conservation is failing to keep pace with the current rate of species loss. Beyond de-extinction, the technologies developed, such as advanced egg collection and stem cell research, could provide a vital toolkit for protecting the one-third of existing antelope species that are currently threatened with extinction. With the bluebuck project already two years in development, the company expects further progress announcements across its entire portfolio by the end of 2026.
