The possibility of resurrecting the passenger pigeon has become a contentious topic within the scientific community.

Emeritus Professor of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin Stanley Temple is an expert in both evolutionary and wildlife biology. His work on de-extinction landed him a TED Talk in 2013.

“Wisconsin has been the site of many significant events surrounding the passenger pigeon,” Temple said. “Not only did Wisconsin host the largest recorded nesting of passenger pigeons in 1871, but the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology also created a monument to the extinct bird at Wyalusing State Park.”

Given this history, it is not surprising that Wisconsin is involved in the latest efforts to resurrect the passenger pigeon. Revive and Restore, a genetic institute focused on endangered and extinct species has partnered with the Applied Ecological Institute in Wisconsin. This partnership aims to run field experiments to analyze whether creating disturbances similar to those of passenger pigeon flocks would positively affect the forest and the Midwest ecosystem at large.

The goal of these campaigns is to create a stronger ecosystem, with the idea that disturbances caused by flocking patterns could benefit the Midwest’s oak population, according to Revive and Restore. When a passenger pigeon flock found prey or other food, they would flock to a certain area of the forest.

UW Professor of Forest and Wildlife Ecology Anna Pidgeon is an expert in conservation and wildlife life ecology. Pidgeon said the idea loses steam due to its lackluster ecological effects.

“There is proof of ecological benefits of controlled disturbances, such as fire, but I can see people being uneasy about the reintroduction of the passenger pigeon,” Pidgeon said. “Fire is much more controllable and has less potential to harm crop yields.”

The use of controlled burns is common in the ecological movement. These fires create disturbances that allow for new growth forecasts and prairies and set a reset button on the ecology of a certain ecosystem. Revive and Restore hopes that the resurrection of the passenger pigeon could create similar disturbances.

The uncertainty of these ecological benefits occurring only increases when the size of the flocks is considered. The passenger pigeon, before its extinction, was known for the sheer size and influence of its flocks, and without the millions of birds required to create a flock, the disturbances — and therefore ecological benefits — would be negligible.

“To bring back one passenger pigeon in a lab is a huge challenge,  but to create a whole population of hundreds of thousands of birds and introduce them into the wild is even less feasible,” Temple said.

Another issue with the passenger pigeon resurrection campaign is the use of the word “resurrection,” which is a misnomer. Because there are no living relatives of the passenger pigeon, the genetic science behind the process involves creating a hybrid rather than an exact genetic replica.

Both Pidgeon and Temple discussed research efforts within the ecological community involving the reintroduction of species to places they formerly inhabited. Temple also mentioned the application of biotechnology in conservation efforts for critically endangered species.

“Emerging biotechnology is amazing and should be directed to helping save endangered species,” Temple said.

The process involves taking the genes from the passenger pigeon and inserting them into the genome of the band-tailed pigeon, the closest living relative, and transforming the living band-tailed pigeon into the extinct passenger pigeon.

Similar genetic engineering processes have been done before but according to Temple never involved an attempt to transform a living species into an extinct species.

“[It] should be done first on a smaller scale, to prove that it can be done,” Temple said. “Technology, at this point, could try to transform one rat species to another rat species, and provide proof of concept.”

While the technology for reviving the passenger pigeon is theoretically feasible, genetic and ecological campaigns face significant hurdles.

For example, getting the public engaged with the possibility of unpredictable disturbances caused by flocking would be challenging. Though the idea of making an extinct species from a living one is a valiant effort, the biotechnology involved needs to be proven before taking on such an intensive task.

“Anything that focuses attention on the plight of our ecosystem and inspires people to take care of their properties and maintain them at the best ecological standards can be helpful and important to the ecological movement,” Pidgeon said.