Fund Conservation, Not Just De-Extinction

Colossal Biosciences is drawing global attention for bold projects like the BioVault — a genetic archive designed to preserve DNA from endangered species and even to explore the possibility of resurrecting extinct animals.

The company has also made headlines for its effort to resurrect the dire wolf, a species that vanished thousands of years ago. While the science is fascinating, bringing back extinct animals risks distracting from a far more urgent reality: species are disappearing right now — not in the distant past — and many could still be saved.

To their credit, Colossal is already supporting real conservation work through the Colossal Foundation, which funds wildlife protection, ecosystem restoration, and species recovery efforts around the world.

That matters. But it’s not enough.

Because species aren’t going extinct because we forgot to save their DNA.

They’re going extinct because forests are being cleared for profit. Wetlands are drained for development. Oceans are overfished and polluted. Wildlife is pushed out by commercial exploitation, climate disruption, and habitat destruction — while frontline conservation groups fight for survival with limited resources.

A biovault can store genetic material.

But it cannot stop a bulldozer.

It cannot restore a rainforest.

It cannot protect an animal with nowhere left to live.

If Colossal truly wants to lead the fight against extinction, the company must match its biotech ambition with massive, sustained investment in protecting life on the ground — right now.

We’re calling on Colossal Biosciences and the Colossal Foundation to do more by:

1: Scaling up funding for habitat protection and restoration

2: Expanding long-term support for frontline conservation groups

3: Partnering with Indigenous and local communities defending ecosystems

4: Tackling the root causes of extinction: commercialization and exploitation

Innovation is powerful. But no technology can replace a living ecosystem.

We don’t just need a future backup plan for biodiversity. We need action that keeps species alive today.

Tell Colossal: Don’t just archive wildlife. Protect it. Fund conservation at the scale this crisis demands.

The petition to Colossal reads: We urge Colossal Biosciences to significantly expand its investment in on-the-ground conservation through the Colossal Foundation, matching its cutting-edge biotech work with large-scale funding to protect habitats and prevent extinctions now. While projects like the BioVault and efforts to resurrect the dire wolf capture headlines, species today are disappearing because of habitat loss, commercialization, and chronic underfunding of conservation. Protect living wildlife where they exist — not just their DNA.
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Source:

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/04/science/colossal-dire-wolf-biovault-endangered-species-spc