Fri Apr 11 03:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Extinct Dire Wolves Resurrected by Genetic Engineering

**Texas** – In a scientific breakthrough, Colossal Biosciences has successfully de-extincted the dire wolf, a species extinct for over 10,000 years. Two six-month-old male dire wolves, Romulus and Remus, weighing 80 lbs and nearly 4 ft long, were unveiled to TIME magazine at a secret U.S. wildlife facility. A younger sister, Khaleesi, also exists but was not present.

The company achieved this feat using advanced genetic engineering. By analyzing ancient DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old ear bone, scientists deciphered the dire wolf genome and edited the genome of common gray wolves. Surrogate mother dogs carried the pups to term via Cesarean section. The process involved only 20 edits to 14 genes, resulting in significant physical and behavioral differences.

Romulus and Remus display classic wild lupine behavior, maintaining a distance from humans, a stark contrast to domesticated dogs. Their unique vocalizations, including a howl not heard for millennia, underscore the successful replication of key species traits.

Colossal Biosciences, a company valued at $10.2 billion, aims to use similar techniques to revive other extinct species, including the woolly mammoth and the dodo. They argue that the technology can also prevent extinction in endangered species, citing their concurrent successful cloning of four red wolves using DNA from a previously unknown genetic reservoir. The company is also working on enhancing the resilience of existing species, such as elephants, to climate change and helping endangered quolls resist the toxic effects of invasive cane toads.

While the achievement is hailed as groundbreaking, ethical concerns remain. Critics raise the risk of unintended consequences, citing potential health problems in cloned animals and the possibility of invasive species resulting from de-extinction efforts. The long-term care and social needs of these animals, particularly the need for large social groups and vast territories, are also under discussion. The company acknowledges these concerns, highlighting the ongoing research into welfare and long-term care, which currently keeps the wolves within a secure and large enclosure. The future of breeding, rewilding and potential partnerships with Indigenous communities are also being carefully considered. The company’s efforts raise significant questions about humanity’s role in shaping the future of biodiversity.

Read More