Genetic Engineering and the Endangered Species Act

The return of the long-extinct wooly mammoth or dodo bird may sound like a storyline straight out of science fiction. It’s not.

Several de-extinction projects all share an ambitious aim to resurrect disappeared species. Impossible to create an exact clone of these long-gone creatures, scientists instead modify the DNA of living animals to resemble extinct ones. This same technique is also used in last-ditch conservation interventions for imperiled animals, like modifying the genes of coral to withstand warmer oceans.

The new science marches forward. The law can’t keep up. Wildlife conservationist turned legal scholar Alex Erwin constructs the legal framework to begin to establish guidance and parameters around when genetic engineering would actually prove beneficial — not wasting time, resources, money and effort. For example, genetic tinkering might help an animal facing a deadly virus or plague, not necessarily one facing habitat destruction.

Erwin’s nationally recognized scholarship focuses on the intersection between science and wildlife law. His recent work determined genetic engineering would be covered by the Endangered Species Act and that the existing law would provide regulatory oversight and authority to federal agencies. His article on the topic was selected for presentation at the prestigious Harvard/Stanford/Yale Junior Faculty Forum.

“Genetic engineering is the next step and future of conservation to recover biodiversity when traditional methods won’t work. That’s why it’s the perfect time to think about law and policy.”