○ Introduction: • Dodos (Raphus cucullatus) are a colossal, extinct species of pigeon that were native to the island of Mauritius. In absence of predators, they evolved flightlessness and large sizes, essentially becoming the dominant fauna of the ecosystem, like giant tortoises. • When humans arrived to the island, they dumped invasive mammals NEVER present, (Only Mauritius flying foxes are native) which ate the dodos' chicks and eggs, until the birds were no more. • Dodos were important herbivores and opportunistic predators of the habitat. With their extinction came the loss of a seed disperser and major omnivore. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ○ Colossal Biosciences: • On January 31st, 2023, a company, in the name of Colossal Biosciences, announced that they would attempt to bring the dodo back to Mauritius. So far, they have sequenced the genome of a preserved head, cultivated pigeon PGCs (primordial germ cells), and created GMO chickens (genetically modified organisms) that are helpful to the conservation and de-extinction. • Right now, Colossal Biosciences is currently trying to figure out the genes responsible for the bill of the dodo, and how to zap alterations in the structures, by looking at countless other species of birds' beaks. Although, the jaws of a dodo nearly match a baby pigeon's. • Eventually, Colossal Biosciences plans to reintroduce the dodo back into Mauritius so that the ecosystem is actively conserved and restored for a valuable reason. While the mainland is currently riddened with predators, offshore islets could be a foundation for the first birds. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ○ Genetics: • The closest, living relative of the dodo is the Nicobar pigeon, although it is also related to crowned and tooth-billed pigeons, too. Like the Nicobar pigeon, dodos consumed gastroliths for digestion, were ground-dwelling, and had a mostly plant-based diet. • Except, dodos were descendants of a different, flying pigeon that flew to Mauritius and entered a series of adaptational shift and gradual weight gain for millions of years. Their sense of sight, smell, and touch, as well as their grounded nature, later sharpened for their lifestyle. • The closest, genomic relative of the dodo was the neighboring Rodrigues solitaire, which went extinct for much of the same reason, albeit later. Unlike the dodo, there have been no soft tissues recovered from this bird. Although, egg shells and subfossils have been found. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ○ Neoteny: • Dodos are known to be highly robust, compared to typical pigeons. While they hardly have the adult appearance, they surprisingly resemble chicks. The traits of consistent downy, reduced keels, and vestigial wings are shared among dodos and squabs. This is known as a form of retention, called neoteny, where flightless birds often suppress pathways into flight and build upon flightless, juvenile traits from the nest. Rather than morphing for flight, they grew up as a youngling! • Hypothetically, to de-extinct the dodo, you COULD disable the genes of a Nicobar pigeon that thin the hatchling bill, feathering, keel, wings, and skeleton, for flight, and apply the robustness and size increase the bird would technically have alongside of it. • Settler accounts actually support the idea that dodos were, at least, partially neotenic. They described the bird with bulkiness, fluffiness, and roundness present in the babies of many pigeons. It might reduce the amount of edits by disabling morphing, similar to that of axolotls. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ○ Goals: • The main objective is to create a genetic proxy that acts and looks like the lost dodo. While it may not be genetically identical, like the introduced Aldabra giant tortoises, it will restore a lost niche that cannot be traditionally proxied on the island. If it functions like the extinct animal, it should be enough. At the end of the day, dodos were simply giant pigeons. • With the potential of making a dodo-like organism, the possibilities of applying this technology to save endangered relatives, like the Mauritius pink pigeon, is highly plausible. Especially through preserved museum specimens, which contain lost genetic material. • De-extincting the dodo could provide technology for likely bringing back other avian, megaherbivores, such as the moa-nalo, giant fowl, and even large ratites. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sprite Work: Ceres4S2D1 Sounds: Pigeon
