Dire Wolf Brought Back: A team of scientists has revived the prehistoric predator, extinct for nearly 12,500 years. Using cutting-edge gene editing and cloning, biotech firm Colossal Biosciences has successfully created three pups resembling the extinct species.
Scientists described the newly engineered Dire Wolves as the “world’s first de-extincted animal” after they modified the genome of a gray wolf — the Dire Wolf’s closest living relative.
A Scientific Milestone
The Dallas-based company used DNA from ancient fossils — including a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull — to reassemble the Dire Wolf genome. Then, using CRISPR gene editing, scientists altered gray wolf DNA to match the extinct species’ traits, including:
- Wider skulls
- Stronger jaws
- Thick white coats
- Larger body size
“Our team took ancient DNA and made healthy Dire Wolf puppies,” said Colossal CEO Ben Lamm.
Meet the New Dire Wolves
Three pups were born using cloned embryos implanted into large mixed-breed domestic dogs:
- Two males born on October 1, 2024
- One female born January 30, 2025
They now live on a secure, undisclosed 2,000-acre facility, enclosed by zoo-grade fencing and monitored 24/7 by drones, cameras, and security staff.
A Direwolf by Any Other Name?
Though the animals are about 99.9% gray wolf, scientists say the genetic tweaks give them the phenotype — or appearance — of actual Direwolves.
“It’s going to spark debate, but these wolves look more like Dire Wolves than anything . We’ve seen in 13,000 years,” said evolutionary genomics expert Love Dalén, who advised Colossal on the genome analysis.
The Ethics of De-Extinction
Colossal, also working to resurrect the woolly mammoth, Tasmanian tiger, and dodo, believes its work can benefit endangered species. In fact, it has already used the new cloning method to breed red wolves, one of the most endangered canines in the U.S.
Still, critics caution that funds and efforts could be better directed toward conservation of currently living species, and question what role engineered Dire Wolves would serve in ecosystems.
“It’s hard to see these animals roaming wild in today’s world,” said ethicist Christopher Preston.
Whether for science, conservation, or awe, Dire Wolves have been brought back — and the future of extinction may never look the same.
Source: CNN