A biotech company in Texas says it has created animals that look like extinct dire wolves. Colossal Biosciences, a firm known for its bold projects, used gene-editing tools to make this possible. Scientists at the company changed the DNA of grey wolves to include traits found in dire wolves, which died out more than 10,000 years ago.
The three pups were born healthy and are now growing fast. Named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, they have thick white fur and powerful jaws. At six months old, they already weigh more than most domestic dogs. Experts at Colossal expect them to reach over 60 kilograms as adults. The team believes these traits are very close to what real dire wolves once had.
The Science Behind the Wolves
To begin, Colossal collected DNA from fossils of dire wolves. One tooth came from a 13,000-year-old animal, while a skull was dated at 72,000 years old. Although the ancient DNA was damaged, scientists studied it closely. Then, they picked 20 gene sites to edit in grey wolves using a tool called CRISPR.
After making these changes, they implanted the embryos into domestic dogs. Just 62 days later, the surrogate mothers gave birth to the gene-edited pups. Matt James, the head of animal care at Colossal, said the pups were healthy and playful from the start.
Can You Bring Back Extinct Species?
While Colossal celebrated the birth of the pups, not everyone agreed with the company’s claims. Some scientists say these animals are not true dire wolves. Instead, they argue the animals only look like the extinct species.
Vincent Lynch, a biologist, said real extinction reversal needs cloning. That means making an exact copy using the full DNA of a dead animal. But since dire wolf DNA is old and broken, cloning is not possible.
Nic Rawlence, an expert on ancient DNA, agreed. He said these pups are hybrids. They have some dire wolf traits but are not real copies. Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s lead scientist, admitted this. She explained the company used gene editing to mimic certain traits—not to fully restore the species.
Behavior and the Wild
One big question is whether these pups could act like dire wolves. Experts say no. Without wild parents to teach them, the pups won’t learn how to hunt or live in the wild. They also won’t be able to take the same role dire wolves once had in nature.
Vincent Lynch stressed that even if they look like dire wolves, they can’t replace them. Real dire wolves hunted giant animals like bison and mammoths. These new pups will not have the same instincts or skills.
Matt James said the animals are friendly and are being cared for by staff. There are no plans to release them into the wild.
Future Plans: Mammoths, Dodos, and Red Wolves
Colossal Biosciences is also working on other extinct species. The company hopes to one day create animals like woolly mammoths and dodos. These projects are still in early stages, but the team is hopeful.
Besides extinct animals, Colossal is also helping endangered ones. The team recently cloned four red wolves. These wolves came from the blood of wild red wolves in the U.S. The goal is to add more diversity to the red wolf population, which is at risk of dying out.
Ben Lamm, the CEO of Colossal, says the company is trying to mix science and conservation. He said the team is realistic and wants to help nature.
Christopher Preston, a wildlife ethicist, said CRISPR may help save some species. He said it’s less invasive than other methods. But he also warned that it needs careful use. Taking blood from wild animals, for example, requires sedation and trained staff.
In March, Colossal met with U.S. Interior officials to talk about future projects. Secretary Doug Burgum praised their work. He called it a big step in science. Still, outside experts say we must not expect too much. The science is exciting, but there are many limits.
The birth of these wolf-like pups has sparked big debates. Can science really bring back lost animals? Or are we just creating look-alikes? Colossal Biosciences says it is building a new future. Others say we must be careful not to play with nature too much.
One thing is clear, the line between science fiction and science fact is getting thinner every day.