US–Colossal Partnership to Preserve Endangered Species DNA

The U.S. Interior Department, via the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), has partnered with Texas-based de-extinction firm Colossal Biosciences to create a nationwide repository of genetic material from more than 2,300 plant and animal species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Field teams will collect blood, skin, reproductive cells and DNA, cryopreserve the samples at Colossal’s Dallas laboratory, and duplicate them at additional sites across the country. Colossal will sequence each specimen and make the reference genomes publicly available to researchers and conservationists.

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The Endangered Species Act currently protects 1,662 domestic and 638 foreign species. Since 1985 the list of protected species has risen by roughly 300%, while federal conservation funding has not kept pace, effectively halving resources per species. The partnership is announced as the Trump administration pursues policy changes that weaken certain protections, including a waiver to expand offshore oil and gas drilling.

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• Doug Burgum, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, announced the partnership.

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• Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences.

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• Brian Nesvik, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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• Matt James, Chief Animal Officer and Executive Director of the Colossal Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Colossal.

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• Colossal Foundation, a nonprofit funded with $100 million in donations since late 2024, overseeing the BioVault network.

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• United Arab Emirates, a partner providing at least $60 million for Colossal’s broader BioVault initiative.

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• 2,300+ endangered and threatened species targeted for sampling.

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• 1,662 domestic and 638 foreign species covered by the Endangered Species Act.

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• $100 million in donations to the Colossal Foundation.

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• $60 million investment from the United Arab Emirates in Colossal’s global BioVault plan.

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• Nine-figure overall initiative budget for the BioVault facilities.

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Secretary Burgum emphasized that the collaboration merges federal scientific expertise with private-sector innovation to develop tools for species recovery and genetic-resource preservation. FWS Director Nesvik highlighted the role of biobanking and genomics in complementing existing conservation tools and enhancing long-term species resilience. Colossal’s leadership described the effort as a “permanent genetic record” that will redefine U.S. conservation and provide a “library of evolutionary innovation” for future generations.

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The partnership has raised questions about the commercial use of the cryopreserved material. Colossal has not disclosed whether the vault’s germline archive will be monetized, and the FWS declined to comment on the specifics of the agreement. Critics note that reliance on a private firm for a national genetic repository may create uncertainties about data access, long-term stewardship, and potential profit motives.

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Sources differ on the extent of public detail provided: the FWS did not respond to a request for additional information, while Colossal’s statements focus on open-access genomic data without clarifying the handling of physical samples. The lack of transparent terms regarding sample ownership beyond federal ownership remains unaddressed.

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• “We want to back up as many samples of species as we can,” — Ben Lamm, CEO, Colossal Biosciences

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• “This collaboration brings together the scientific expertise of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the ingenuity of the private sector to develop new tools that can help recover species, preserve critical genetic resources, and strengthen the future of wildlife conservation,” — Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior

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• “This collaboration will help advance our understanding of how biobanking and genomics can complement existing conservation tools and contribute to the recovery and long-term resilience of imperiled species,” — Brian Nesvik, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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• “For the first time, we’re creating a permanent genetic record of America’s most vulnerable species before they’re lost.” — Matt James, Chief Animal Officer, Colossal Biosciences

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• “Every species is a library of evolutionary innovation millions of years in the making,” — Ben Lamm, CEO, Colossal Biosciences

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Colossal plans to host the BioVault network across multiple facilities, releasing all genomic data through open-access repositories at no cost. The partnership will continue sample collection, sequencing, and duplication, while stakeholders monitor the terms of physical-sample use and potential commercial pathways.

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