The Hoffstetter’s worm snake is a little known species from Mauritius. It was first identified in 1900 by Paul Carié who excavated the swamplands in the Mare aux Songes region of Mauritius. Anything about its life and process of extinction are unknown. Like so many other species that went extinct in Mauritius, the Hoffstetter’s worm snake’s downfall was probably a cocktail of problems. Worm snakes weren’t hunted for food, but would have been susceptible to habitat destruction and invasive species. Although Jurassic Park is fiction, scientists are working on several de-extinction projects. In fact, in 2003 scientists did bring back the extinct Pyrenean ibex, a type of wild goat, for 7 minutes before it died, showing de-extinction is possible. The Hoffstetter’s worm snake would probably not be a good candidate for de-extinction because of the lack of much genetic material. Could the Hoffstetter’s worm snake survive on Mauritius if it did return. This very question is wrapped up well by the observations by Ben J. Novak who works with Revive & Restore, a scientific group looking into de-extinction projects like the dodo. Mr. Novak said, “My time in Mauritius was a true crash course in the nation’s proud conservation movement. Mauritius, while having lost the majority of its endemic species, is home to some of the most incredible recovery projects of endangered species anywhere in the world. For example, after having declined to only 12 individuals in 1968, the population of Rodriguez Fody, a small, red-faced songbird, has recovered to over 8,000. Mauritius has pioneered innovative hybrid programs of in situ and ex situ conservation recovery, exemplified by the Mauritius Kestrel recovery; the population has grown from a single female and 3 males in 1974 to over 400 individuals today. And it is one of the first countries to replace an extinct species, the endemic Mauritius Giant Tortoise, with a living ecological surrogate – the Aldabra Giant Tortoise. In essence, Mauritius has already done de-extinction the non-genetic way.” It seems that IF the Hoffstetter’s worm snake were ever brought back, the people of Mauritius have already done much to prepare a welcome home party for the worm snake.