This spring, Colossal Biosciences shocked the world by announcing they had resurrected the dire wolf. Using ancient genetics, they made 20 edits in the gray wolf genome, cloning three cubs closely resembling the historic dire wolf. They’re large. They have manes. And they’re white.

One would think environmentalists would celebrate humanity’s newfound ability to reverse our sins against nature. But by and large, they didn’t.

Environmental groups decried de-extinction technology as dangerous. Reporters questioned whether Colossal could claim the de-extinction of dire wolves at all. Opinion journalists accused Colossal of playing God, questioning the ethics of resurrecting an extinct animal in the first place. Others argued that de-extinction technologies give humanity moral license to kill off more species.

These concerns are misplaced. Conservationists should welcome innovative genetic technologies because they will not only help recover the ecological function of extinct species, but also species that are endangered today. To restore and conserve healthy ecosystems that benefit people, environmentalists must abandon their anti-tech impulses and embrace an environmentalism that builds.

The red wolf could immediately benefit from de-extinction technology. Historically found in the American southeast, the government declared the red wolf extinct in the wild in 1980. After officials captured all remaining red wolves they could find, the government reintroduced red wolves to coastal North Carolina. Today, about 20 remain in the wild. The entire red wolf population — captive and wild — is descended from only 14 individuals. This exposes the entire population to inbreeding, increasing the likelihood of extinction.

But in 2018, scientists confirmed what locals had suspected: that coyote hybrids in Texas and Louisiana have strong red wolf ancestry. These “ghost wolf” genetics could help supplement the existing captive red wolf population, decreasing chances of inbreeding.

With the same technology used to de-extinct dire wolves, Colossal worked with its conservation partners to clone four ghost wolves. With advanced genetic technology, ghost wolf genetics could help revive the existing red wolf population. Colossal is in discussions with tribal partners and North Carolina about conservation collaborations.

Figures like Interior Secretary Doug Burgum welcomed the prospect of applying de-extinction technology to endangered species recovery, and he identified that current endangered species conservation has been insufficient.

Environmentalists met his comments with strong criticism. One journalist questioned captive-bred reintroductions entirely, despite the practice saving numerous endangered species, from red wolves to California condors. Defenders of Wildlife denounced genetic technology as a conservation solution, saying limited resources shouldn’t be spent on de-extinction tech.

This zero-sum approach to conservation is insufficient. De-extinction projects are a net gain for conservation efforts, especially when they’re funded by a private company offering the technology for free, like Colossal is doing.

We need every tool available to recover imperiled species. With strong protections, most endangered species haven’t gone extinct, but only 3% have recovered. Red tape prevents conservation projects. Perverse regulatory incentives can encourage landowners to destroy endangered species and their habitat, and funding for conservation efforts is scarce.

Rather than discouraging innovation or miring conservation with regulation, leaders should streamline rules, increase investment, and embrace genetic technology — including de-extinction tools — to create resilient ecosystems fit for the modern world. The future of conservation rests on human ingenuity. It’s time to build.

Isaiah Menning is external affairs director at the American Conservation Coalition. He is a Young Voices Contributor and is a recent graduate of Dartmouth College. Follow him on X @IsaiahMenning. 

This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.