The United States will create an endangered species ‘BioVault’ through a partnership announced on June 25, 2026, between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Colossal Biosciences that aims to archive genetic material from all species listed under the Endangered Species Act. The cryogenic repository will collect, sequence and preserve living cells, reproductive tissues and genomic DNA from more than 2,300 threatened and endangered plants and animals, according to a press release distributed via PR Newswire. The effort represents one of the most comprehensive biodiversity preservation projects ever assembled in the United States.
A Colossal Biosciences press release distributed via PR Newswire said the BioVault will form part of the company’s distributed network of facilities and serve as a resource for assisted reproduction, population genetic management and potential future restoration. The long-term goal is full biobanking and sequencing coverage for every one of the more than 2,300 ESA-listed species, with priority sampling and sequencing already underway. Data generated through the project will be made available to the global scientific and conservation communities in open-access repositories at no cost where feasible, the release added. This initiative aligns with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mandate to conserve fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats.
The announcement highlighted a memorandum of understanding that reflects a shared commitment without imposing any obligation for federal funding. Secretary Doug Burgum stated, “This collaboration brings together the scientific expertise of the U.S. 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.” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik said the collaboration will help advance understanding of how biobanking and genomics can complement existing conservation tools and contribute to the recovery and long-term resilience of imperiled species.
In the statement Colossal CEO Ben Lamm compared the project to an established international model for genetic preservation. “Just as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault was created to preserve the genetic diversity of our food supply, this partnership aims to preserve the genetic diversity of life itself,” he said. Lamm described the archive as a modern-day Noah’s Ark built from DNA and a permanent genetic backup of the nation’s most imperiled species. Matt James, chief animal officer at Colossal, added that the initiative will redefine conservation in the United States by providing future conservationists with genomic tools rather than just field notes and photographs.
The partnership builds on Colossal Biosciences’ February 2026 announcement of a parallel global BioVault initiative with the United Arab Emirates, according to an earlier company press release. That project targets cell lines and genetic data from more than 10,000 species with an initial focus on the world’s 100 most imperiled ones, including the northern white rhino, and is planned for housing at Dubai’s Museum of the Future. The UAE effort was part of a nine-figure initiative in which the country invested at least $60 million in the Texas-based firm.
Colossal Biosciences, founded in 2021 by Ben Lamm and George Church, has raised more than $615 million while pursuing de-extinction through CRISPR gene editing on species such as the dire wolf, mammoth and dodo, the company has previously stated. Its nonprofit Colossal Foundation, which backs the BioVault work, has raised $100 million in donations since late 2024. The U.S. initiative will integrate generated genomic data into species recovery plans to support ongoing federal conservation programs, the June 25 press release said.
