Whilst I usually write about domestic dogs, the latest news from the bioscience world was too significant to ignore! That is because Colossal Biosciences, a Texas Biotech company pioneering de-extinction science, has recently unveiled the birth of three genetically engineered canids bearing the features of a long-extinct predator: the dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus).
A regular feature in Game of Thrones, the dire wolf has been extinct for over 10,000 years. Now news of the birth of three wolves named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, born via dog surrogacy, marks the first live births in what Colossal Biosciences claims is a functioning “de-extinction pipeline”. Now, at six months old, the three wolves are already 4 ft. long and are around 80 lb. It is estimated that they could grow to 6 ft. and weigh up to 150 lb.
The successful birth of these three wolves validates the genetic process Colossal has been honing in recent years, including projects to revive the woolly mammoth, using genetically augmented laboratory mice! Such projects have already drawn scrutiny from conservation biologists. See my Animals in History episode on the Dodo, where I highlight the work Colossal have been undertaking in their de-extinction efforts.
Dire Wolves: History and myth
The dire wolf was first recognised in 1854 by Joseph Leidy from a fossil fauna on the banks of the Ohio River near Evansville, Indiana. Unlike the sleek grey wolves that still roam parts of North America, dire wolves were heavier-set, with formidable jaws and light, dense coats (thought to be white), and they had a mane; adaptations suited to the Ice Age landscape.
Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi were the result of Colossal’s work, which drew upon genetic material from two specimens: a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull. They infused grey wolf DNA with 20 targeted edits to mimic what their scientists believe to be the genetic essence of the extinct species.
The process began with grey wolf endothelial progenitor cells, selected for their close evolutionary proximity to the dire wolf. Colossal’s team applied CRISPR-based edits to 14 genes believed to shape the dire wolf’s build, metabolism, coat, and more. These edited cells were then transferred into enucleated domestic dog egg cells. Embryos were implanted into surrogate dogs, resulting in the successful birth of the three pups.
This multi-step procedure, combining gene editing, cloning, and embryology, is what Colossal terms its ‘de-extinction technology stack’. Chief Executive Ben Lamm described the outcome as “indistinguishable from magic,” while Chief Science Officer Dr Beth Shapiro called it “a new standard for paleogenome reconstruction”. The company insists the pups are healthy, viable, and being raised in a secure ecological preserve monitored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and certified by the American Humane Society.
Is this science or showmanship?
The World Animal Foundation predicts that up to one-half of all species could become extinct by 2050. So Colossal sees its mission as one of conservation biology, from bolstering genetic resilience in endangered species to restoring lost functions in degraded ecosystems. Yet Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi‘s precise genetic proximity to actual dire wolves remains ambiguous. Without the full genome or a living behavioural template, critics argue these young wolves are approximations, rather than resurrections.
For example, geneticist Love Dalén has described the results as “a genetically modified grey wolf,” cautioning that reviving lost lineages is not the same as restoring extinct species. Moreover, the original dire wolf’s ecosystem, home to mammoths, sabretooth tigers, and now-vanished megafauna, no longer exists. So any reintroduction, even in captive environments, raises significant ecological and ethical uncertainties.
Nevertheless, Colossal states that Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi will not be released into the wild. The wolves will live under observation in a controlled preserve, and their health, behaviour, and development will be studied in depth. However, detractors argue that this effort may divert attention and funding away from urgent biodiversity crises already unfolding. Species like the Ethiopian wolf, red wolf, and African wild dog, which are on the edge of extinction, might benefit more directly from the kinds of gene editing and habitat support now being invested in de-extinction projects.
Whether Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi herald a new era of ecological repair or reflect a tech-driven longing to undo extinction remains unresolved! Click this link to hear the wolf pups howling.
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