5 Reasons to Bring Back Extinct Animals (And 5 Reasons Not To)

Benefits:

• Scientific knowledge: De-extinction could offer insights into evolution and natural resources that are currently unavailable to us.
• Technological advancement: De-extinction could be a big step forward for genetic engineering.
• Environmental benefits: Threatened or damaged ecosystems could be restored with the help of certain now-extinct species.
• Justice: If people pushed plant and animals species into extinction, perhaps we owe it to these species to try and bring them back.
• Wonder: How cool would it be to see extinct species alive and kicking again?

Objections:

• Animal welfare: People could be exploiting animals for solely human purposes, and may cause individuals of the de-extinct species harm.
• Health: Species could carry retroviruses or pathogens when brought back to life.
• Environment: De-extinct species would be alien and potentially invasive; their habitats and food sources have changed, so their roles in these changed ecosystems could be too.
• Political: De-extinction may change priorities in other fields of science, such as medical research and the conservation of currently endangered species.
• Moral: Is de-extinction playing god, or just plain wrong? It may also have unforeseen consequences.

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