De-extinction and poetry

Area of Science:

• Ecological Restoration
• Cultural Studies
• Poetry and Literature

Background:

• De-extinction is primarily viewed as a scientific endeavor.
• De-extinction is also a significant cultural event with diverse community investments and emotional responses.
• The extinction of the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) is linked to colonial violence against Indigenous peoples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of poetry in understanding de-extinction.
• To analyze how poetry can situate scientific de-extinction within its cultural and historical context.
• To explore the evocation of Indigenous experiences and resistance through poetry related to de-extinction.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a poem focused on thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) de-extinction.
• Examination of de-extinction as a cultural event involving historical and emotional dimensions.
• Interrogation of poetry's capacity to represent Indigenous temporalities and resistance.

Main Results:

• Poetry provides a distinct contribution to thinking about de-extinction beyond scientific practice.
• A 'poetry of de-extinction' can situate scientific efforts within complex cultural histories.
• Poetry can evoke the resistance and multiple temporalities of Indigenous experiences related to extinction.

Conclusions:

• Poetry is a vital tool for a more holistic understanding of de-extinction.
• The cultural and historical impacts of de-extinction, particularly on Indigenous communities, require artistic and literary exploration.
• De-extinction efforts, exemplified by the thylacine, must acknowledge their colonial legacies and Indigenous connections.