On March 5, 2025, CNN Health published an article about the development of mice that have several woolly mammoth traits. The article explains that in a study conducted by Colossal Biosciences, mice were genetically modified to have specific traits that differed between woolly mammoths and their closest living relative, the Asian elephant. The goal of this research is to, eventually, genetically modify Asian elephants into woolly mammoths and release them into their previously natural habitat. Traits relating to “hair length, thickness, texture, color, and body fat” were targeted. Eight genetic edits were made to the lab mice for seven different genes. One limitation of the study is that there is no evidence that the modified mice are cold-tolerant, which would be necessary for any modified elephant to live in the Arctic. More research will need to be done in order to translate the mice results to elephants.
While the research conducted and ideas behind it are extremely interesting, I am not sure about the plausibility of returning woolly mammoths back into an environment they haven’t inhabited for thousands of years. I think there could be really disastrous consequences to introducing an essentially new species to an environment. The Colossal claims that the introduction of woolly mammoths would pack down the snow and slow the permafrost thaw and carbon release. Not to mention the ethical dilemma of breeding Asian elephants, which are endangered, in order to make genetic changes to form them into woolly mammoth-like animals.