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Dire Wolves Brought Back to Life With Science

by Sarah Apr 24,2025

Bringing a super-sized canine back from extinction after 12,500 years might sound like a plot from a blockbuster movie filled with special effects, but it's now a reality. The world is home to three dire wolves, residing in a secret location in the US, thanks to the efforts of the biotech company Colossal Biosciences.

Romulus and Remus at three months old

Colossal Biosciences, driven by a passion that might remind you of Game of Thrones, utilized the DNA of the common gray wolf, advanced gene-editing techniques, and domestic dog surrogates to bring Romulus, Remus, and their younger sister, Khaleesi, into existence. These puppies embody the majestic vision of any dragon mother—large, white, and truly awe-inspiring.

“I could not be more proud of the team. This massive milestone is the first of many coming examples demonstrating that our end-to-end de-extinction technology stack works,” stated Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences.

“Our team took DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and created healthy dire wolf puppies. It was once said, ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ Today, our team gets to unveil some of the magic they are working on and its broader impact on conservation.”

Romulus and Remus at one month old

Colossal Biosciences isn't new to making headlines. They previously engineered a Colossal Woolly Mouse—a mouse with a shaggy, hipster-like coat—to mimic the appearance of a mammoth. This was achieved through the computational analysis of 59 woolly, Columbian, and steppe mammoth genomes, spanning from 3,500 to over 1,200,000 years old. Critics argue that these dire wolves are essentially normal wolves in elaborate costumes, suggesting that the available dire wolf DNA isn't sufficient to produce a true genetic clone.

However, the ambitions of Colossal Biosciences extend beyond social media buzz and exotic pets. The company aims to apply its discoveries to conserve current species for future generations.

“The de-extinction of the dire wolf and an end-to-end system for de-extinction is transformative and heralds an entirely new era of human stewardship of life,” remarked Dr. Christopher Mason, a scientific advisor and member of the board of observers for Colossal.

“The same technologies that created the dire wolf can directly help save a variety of other endangered animals as well. This is an extraordinary technological leap in genetic engineering efforts for both science and for conservation as well as preservation of life, and a wonderful example of the power of biotechnology to protect species, both extant and extinct.”

Regarding the welfare of these dire wolves, Colossal Biosciences has collaborated with the American Humane Society and the USDA to ensure their 2,000+ acre preserve meets the highest standards, with a dedicated team providing round-the-clock care for these remarkable creatures.

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