The Margo Abayomi Memorial Evergreen (MAMIE) Foundation has advocated preservation of animals’ DNA as a long-term scientific strategy to help regenerate species threatened with extinction globally amid biodiversity loss pressures worldwide today.
Dr Dayo Abayomi, co-founder of the foundation, made the call on Monday, January 5, 2026, in an interview in Abuja discussing conservation science, policy, sustainability and awareness.
Abayomi explained that conserving genetic material from endangered animals could enable scientists recreate species that might had disappeared as advances in biotechnology continued to evolve globally through research, innovation, collaboration efforts.
According to her, DNA represents the fundamental unit of life, carrying the complete blueprint that defines an organism and determines its development, function and reproduction across species, ecosystems and evolution broadly.
“If we can replicate the DNA system and maybe incorporate that result in another animal, you can reproduce that animal,” Abayomi said, explaining potential scientific applications of genetic replication techniques conceptually.
According to her, assuming the pangolin becomes extinct and its DNA has been preserved, that genetic material could be applied in scientific research.
She underscored possibilities for endangered species recovery through conservation efforts.
Abayomi said science was developing and one could use that DNA in another animal to give birth to a pangolin.
She cited future scientific incubator possibilities similar to stored human eggs research.
“From eggs, we are moving down to the actual unit that generates life and that can copy itself until it produces itself,” Abayomi said, describing genetic research focus evolution over time.
She noted that similar scientific concepts already existed in practices such as the storage of human eggs and embryos, adding that research was gradually moving beyond cells to core genetic material.
“Scientists and anthropologists have, in some cases, extracted DNA from ancient bones, fossils and preserved biological materials to study or attempt regeneration,” she said, citing global research examples, experiments, discoveries worldwide.
She emphasised that without proactive conservation and DNA preservation, future generations would lack essential genetic resources needed for scientific breakthroughs and species regeneration efforts, innovation, resilience, sustainability, research, and planning globally.
She added that such initiatives were part of the mandate of the foundation, which was committed to long-term environmental sustainability and biodiversity protection through conservation, advocacy, education, partnerships, research programmes nationwide.
The foundation, made up of three siblings, is conserving the Emerald Forest Reserve, a small forest by a river in Ikoyi-Osun, Osun State as part of practical conservation efforts locally today.
According to Abayomi, the reserve serves as a biodiversity area and a practical step towards protecting wildlife and ecosystems threatened by deforestation and climate change impacts, habitat loss, erosion, flooding risks.
She called for better investment in conservation science, supportive policies and public awareness to ensure Nigeria did not lose its rich biodiversity heritage, ecosystems, wildlife, livelihoods, resilience, sustainability, development, and future generations.
By Ijeoma Olorunfemi