Which Animal Would You Bring Back?
Normally, being extinct is forever. When an animal becomes extinct, it means that creature has completely died out.
Thanks to modern science, though, that might change. Experts say we can bring back some animals that no longer exist. But which extinct creature should we start with? Is there one that would help us more than others? Here are three ideas of animals to bring back.
A Mammoth Chance
Think of a hairy elephant. You’re now picturing a woolly mammoth. This extinct relative of elephants lived during the Ice Age. That’s a time when huge sheets of ice covered much of Earth.
Mammoths had long tusks to dig for food under the ice. They had thick fur to survive freezing temperatures.
Bringing back mammoths could help us learn how animals adapt to extreme conditions, like the Ice Age. Plus, studying mammoths might help us learn how to better protect modern elephants.
Science Picture Co/Science Source
An artist’s idea of a woolly mammoth
How About a Dinosaur?
Its name almost says it all. The Giganotosaurus was a gigantic dinosaur that lived millions of years ago. It was even bigger than the Tyrannosaurus rex!
Bringing back the Giganotosaurus with its sharp claws and powerful jaws might be a little scary! But it would give us a chance to learn more about how dinosaurs looked and acted. So far those are things experts have only been able to guess about.
ROGER HARRIS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Science Source
A drawing of how Giganotosaurus might have looked
A New Life for an Old Cat?
For a million years, the saber-toothed cat was the top predator in many parts of the world. Its long, curved teeth looked like sharp sabers, or swords. This animal had no natural enemies, but it became extinct 11,000 years ago. Scientists still don’t know why.
Bringing back this big cat might help experts crack the mystery of why it died out. They could also learn more about ancient predators and how they hunted.
Daniel Eskridge/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images
An illustration of a saber-toothed cat
Your Turn: Which creature would you bring back?
Your Turn: Which creature would you bring back?
Your Turn: Which creature would you bring back?
1. What are two traits the woolly mammoth used to survive during the Ice Age?
2. Why might it be helpful to scientists to bring back a Giganotosaurus?
3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “How to Bring Back a Woolly Mammoth”?
