Shadowing Practice: Colossal Announces the De-Extinction of the Bluebuck Antelope - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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More than 200 years ago,
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More than 200 years ago,
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humans erased an iconic species.
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It was the species that had been described a lot in the literature
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because it was such an unusual and unique looking animal.
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They're yet another example of a species that has gone extinct by interacting with us.
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We can change the dynamics of everything.
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We are excited to announce the de-extinction of...
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Hippotragus leucophagus.
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The bluebuck is called a bluebuck because it has this shiny silver-blue-grey coat,
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which is really different from any other antelope species.
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It also had quite distinctive markings across its face,
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had really distinctive horns, and it was also a little bit smaller than most other antelope species.
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There are other kinds of antelope in other environments in Africa,
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but the bluebuck filled a very specific niche.
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So they're really important to help keep the ecosystem healthy by grazing on plants.
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So they eat a lot of plant matter,
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they turn it into manure that they then put all across the landscape.
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That really helps with dispersing the seeds,
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but also sometimes with the germination of that seed.
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They're a really favorite prey of many of the carnivores that you'd find in South Africa today,
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like lions and leopards.
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The bluebuck is a particularly sobering story.
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In 1777, we took advantage of a creature and led it to extinction.
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As settlers were coming into the area from European countries we started transforming what remained of their grassland habitats into farmland.
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They also saw them as competition for their cattle.
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A lot of over hunting wanted to remove them from the landscape.
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What hadn't been turned into forests turned into crops.
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They had nowhere else to live and they became extinct.
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This was something relatively recent,
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something we did, and we can bring that back where the ecosystem still has that void that we can fill.
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It's our responsibility to correct that.
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We now have several high-quality reference genomes.
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We have one that was published a few years ago,
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and we have three really well-preserved samples that we're now generating additional data from.
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So we've got that blueprint that we need to completely reconstruct what the blueback looked like.
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have really exciting advancements in artificial reproductive technologies for antelopes.
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This idea that we can figure out how to build embryos in vitro in the lab.
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Tools that we need to be able to turn
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that genome back into a whole living animal that we can put back into the landscape.
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Rhone has become the genomic donor and will be the surrogate of the first blue bug.
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We are working on ovum pickup procedures.
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That's the ability to retrieve eggs from these females.
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We do it monthly so that we have a regular supply of oocytes
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that can go back to the lab for additional techniques like IVF,
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embryo culture, embryo freezing.
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Just getting one single egg out of a roan or out of an oryx was a world's first.
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In oryx, the next procedure would be an embryo transfer.
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With roan, we need to try to produce those embryos in vitriol.
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This is exciting because it's also an opportunity to learn things
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and expand our technologies to an entirely different branch of the animal tree of life.
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Southern Africa is an amazing wild place,
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but it has been heavily impacted by things like agriculture and human development.
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By bringing this species back,
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we're able to help encourage habitat restoration and rewilding efforts that support not just antelope conservation,
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but sort of an umbrella effect of protection for plant and animal species alike.
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I think we'll really speed up all of those conservation ideas
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that people have that maybe don't have the resources or the knowledge to do,
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and really prevent a lot of animals from going extinct really quickly.
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With the reproductive science that we do,
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that's an enhancement that can be added to a breeding program,
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a reintroduction program, conservation cloning, or even disease resistance.
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Those are things that Glossal is working on.
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We care for them tremendously.
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Steve's team does a fantastic job making sure that their welfare is taken care of and prioritized.
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How are we responsible for them?
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How are we going to make sure that they have optimal welfare?
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What does that look like?
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So we begin that process before we ever start the science.
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The extinction can't happen in a bubble.
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We have to build mass networks across the globe in order to help make the extinction successful.
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I'd like my children one day to be able to see these species.
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There's plenty of antelope species getting hunted because of their beautiful coat colors, their horns.
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As we work toward grassland restoration,
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blue buck restoration, we're going to develop tools
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that we can use to help other species that are in danger of becoming extinct avoid that same fate.
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We have this unique opportunity to be able to move things forward and to be able to pioneer science that's been established,
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but take it into the future and be able to apply
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that to the conservation of all these rare
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and endangered species today on our journey towards the de-extinction of iconic species like the bluebuck.
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That's sort of the benefit behind Philosol is you have this team of scientists that are willing to put heart,
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blood, soul, tears, everything into figuring out what's the protocol,
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how do we get it to work?
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When we are successful, it will mean we have brought back a species
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that has not walked this earth for hundreds of years.
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This is a lineage on the animal tree of life that really nobody has focused on for the purposes of conservation.
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We're making incredible progress at a rate that I couldn't have predicted.
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And I am excited for what the next several years are going to bring.
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We could try this.
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We could try this.
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Bluebark.
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Bluebark.
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Bluebark antelope.
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Context & Background

The recent announcement regarding the de-extinction of the bluebuck antelope, scientifically known as Hippotragus leucophagus, serves as both an ecological revelation and a lesson in human responsibility. This antelope, which vanished more than 200 years ago due to human activities such as habitat transformation and overhunting, exemplifies the profound impact we have on biodiversity. The innovative processes leading to the potential resurrection of this species highlight advancements in genetics and reproductive technologies. Understanding the significance of this story can enhance your vocabulary and comprehension, useful tools for effective communication, particularly in IELTS speaking practice.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • De-extinction: The process of bringing back extinct species.
  • Ecological balance: The stability of natural ecosystems, dependent on various species.
  • Habitat transformation: Changes made to the environment that affect species living there.
  • Genomic donor: An organism providing genetic material for cloning or breeding.
  • In vitro: Referring to processes performed outside a living organism, often in a lab setting.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English speaking and pronunciation skills using the content from this video, follow this structured shadowing approach:

  1. Listen Actively: Play the video and focus intently on the speaker's pronunciation and intonation when they discuss the bluebuck.
  2. Rewind and Repeat: Play back segments of the video, pausing after each sentence. Repeat the speaker’s words, mimicking their emotions and pronunciation to improve your English pronunciation.
  3. Use Shadowspeak Techniques: While listening, visualize the information being presented. This method will aid in retention and comprehension—key aspects of IELTS speaking practice.
  4. Record Yourself: After shadowing a section, record your voice. Compare your pronunciation and fluency against the original audio to identify areas for improvement.
  5. Practice Regularly: Integrate these phrases and shadowing exercises into your daily routine. Consistency is vital for enhancement. Utilize online resources to find varied content related to ecological themes and shadow speak effectively.

Engaging regularly with such content not only boosts your vocabulary and speaking abilities but also deepens your understanding of critical topics like biodiversity and sustainability. Take the time to incorporate shadowing into your English learning journey, and you’ll see significant improvements in your speaking confidence and accuracy.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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