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A Dallas-based biotech company, Colossal Biosciences, has announced a
groundbreaking achievement: the successful "de-extinction" of the dire wolf, a
species that vanished approximately 12,500 years ago. The company claims to
have created three live dire wolf pups, hailing them as the "world's first
successfully de-extincted animal."
Colossal's scientists utilized a combination of ancient DNA, cloning techniques,
and advanced gene-editing technology to achieve this feat. By altering the genes
of the gray wolf, the dire wolf's closest living relative, they have essentially
engineered a hybrid animal that closely resembles its prehistoric ancestor.
The dire wolf, scientifically known as Aenocyon dirus, was a formidable predator
that once roamed North America and served as the inspiration for the fearsome
canines in the popular HBO series "Game of Thrones." According to Colossal, dire
wolves were larger than gray wolves, possessing a slightly wider head, lighter yet
thicker fur, and significantly stronger jaws.
While Colossal Biosciences has been publicly known for its ambitious projects to
resurrect the woolly mammoth, dodo, and Tasmanian tiger since 2021, their work
on the dire wolf had remained undisclosed until this week's announcement.
"This massive milestone is the first of many coming examples demonstrating that
our end-to-end de-extinction technology stack works," stated Ben Lamm, co-
founder and CEO of Colossal, in a press release. "Our team took DNA from a 13,000-
year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies."
The three dire wolf pups currently reside in a secure 2,000-acre facility at an
undisclosed location. The enclosure boasts 10-foot-tall "zoo-grade" fencing, and
the animals are continuously monitored by security personnel, drones, and live
camera feeds. Colossal emphasized that the facility has received certification from
the American Humane Society and is registered with the US Department of
Agriculture.
Unlocking Ancient Genomes
The scientific process behind this resurrection involved meticulously extracting
ancient DNA from two well-preserved dire wolf fossils. This allowed Colossal's
scientists and their collaborators to assemble two high-quality Aenocyon dirus
genomes, providing a comprehensive blueprint of the extinct animal's genetic
information.
By comparing these ancient genomes with those of living canids, including wolves,
jackals, and foxes, the team identified the specific genetic variants responsible for
the unique traits of dire wolves, such as their characteristic white coats and longer,
thicker fur.
Armed with this genetic knowledge, the company employed gene-editing
techniques to modify gray wolf cells. They reportedly made 20 precise edits across
14 different genes before selecting the most promising cell lines for cloning. These
modified cells were then transferred into donor eggs.
"Healthy developing embryos were then transferred into surrogates for
interspecies gestation," Colossal revealed in their statement. The company
confirmed to CNN that they utilized domestic dogs – specifically large, mixed-
breed hounds – as surrogate mothers.
The first two dire wolf pups, both males, were born on October 1, 2024, followed by a
female pup born on January 30, 2025, according to Colossal Biosciences.
The Science of De-Extinction Through Gene Editing
Professor Love Dalén, an expert in evolutionary genomics at the Centre for
Palaeogenetics at Stockholm University and an advisor to Colossal, explained that
the company essentially created a hybrid genome. They used CRISPR technology
to selectively remove certain gray wolf gene variants and replace them with the
genetic traits associated with dire wolves.
"There’s no secret that across the genome, this is 99.9% gray wolf. There is going to
be an argument in the scientific community regarding how many genes need to be
changed to make a dire wolf, but this is really a philosophical question," Dalén
acknowledged.
Despite the genetic similarities to gray wolves, Dalén believes the result is
significant. "It carries dire wolf genes, and these genes make it look more like a dire
wolf than anything we’ve seen in the last 13,000 years. And that is very cool."
Dalén, who had some involvement in the analysis of the dire wolf genomes but was
not directly involved in the gene editing or cloning, hailed the work as a "huge
leap" in the field. "The way I see this is that they have resurrected the dire wolf
phenotype (the observable traits of a species) and we know from the genome that
they probably looked a bit like these puppies. To me, it’s a dire wolf in that sense,"
he stated.
Since its inception in September 2021, founded by serial entrepreneur Ben Lamm
and Harvard University geneticist George Church, Colossal has raised at least $435
million. While their initial focus was on the woolly mammoth, a project that Lamm
now anticipates will yield the first calves in 2028, the successful resurrection of the
dire wolf marks a significant acceleration in their de-extinction endeavors.
Broader Implications for Conservation
Colossal hopes that the technologies developed for the dire wolf project can also
be directly applied to assist endangered animal species. In a promising
development, the company announced that they have already produced two
litters of cloned red wolves, the most critically endangered wolf species, using a
new, less invasive cloning approach refined during the dire wolf research.
Ethical Considerations and Future Role
The concept of de-extinction often sparks debate, with critics raising concerns
about the significant financial investments involved and whether those resources
could be better allocated to conserving existing endangered species. There are
also concerns about the welfare of the animals used as surrogates and the
potential ecological implications of reintroducing extinct species, even in a hybrid
form.
Christopher Preston, a professor of environmental philosophy at the University of
Montana, noted that Colossal appears to be taking animal welfare seriously,
pointing to the size of the facility and the involvement of the American Humane
Society. "Colossal have taken thoughtful precautions to screen against any
unintended genetic consequences of their edits, eliminating risky edits known to
be associated with poor outcomes," he added.
However, Preston expressed skepticism about the dire wolves' potential role in an
ecosystem, a long-term goal Colossal has articulated for their mammoth project.
"In states like Montana, we are currently having trouble keeping a healthy
population of gray wolves on the land in the face of amped up political
opposition," Preston said. "It is hard to imagine dire wolves ever being released and
taking up an ecological role. So, I think it is important to ask what role the new
animals will serve."
The Birthing Process and Early Care
Colossal provided details about the care of the surrogate mothers during their
pregnancies. The mama hounds were housed at the company's animal-care
facility, where they received regular monitoring and weekly ultrasounds by staff
scientists and veterinarians. All three dire wolf pups were delivered via planned
cesarean section to minimize the risk of complications. A dedicated team of eight
individuals managed the surgery and immediate care of both the pups and the
surrogate mothers.
"We elected to put both pups with the surrogate who was displaying the best
maternal instincts," explained James, a member of the Colossal team. "That
reintroduction occurred just about two or so hours after birth, and she
immediately began caring for them and allowing them to nurse."
However, after a few days, the pups were removed and bottle-fed by the Colossal
team because the surrogate's attentiveness began disrupting their sleep and
feeding schedules. They were successfully weaned at eight weeks and are
reportedly thriving as healthy young dire wolves.
A Less Invasive Cloning Technique
George Church, Colossal co-founder and professor of genetics at both Harvard
University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, highlighted a significant
advancement in their cloning process. "The idea that we could just take a vial of
blood, isolate EPCs, culture them, and clone from them, and they have a pretty
high cloning efficiency, we think it’s a game changer," Church stated. This less
invasive cell-sampling technique promises to be easier on donor animals and has
boosted the company's confidence in their broader de-extinction and rewilding
ambitions.
Secure Living Environment
Since their births, the dire wolves have been residing on a 2,000-acre ecological
preserve in an undisclosed location within the U.S., a measure taken by Colossal to
ensure the animals' safety and security. This expansive area is significantly larger
than the enclosure previously shown to media representatives. The preserve is
enclosed by a 10-foot fence and includes a smaller six-acre site equipped with a
veterinary clinic, an extreme-weather shelter, and natural dens to cater to the
wolves' instinctual need for secure retreats. A dedicated team of veterinarians
provides round-the-clock care for the animals.
The successful resurrection of the dire wolf marks a monumental step in the field
of de-extinction, raising both excitement about the potential to bring back lost
species and crucial questions about the ethical and ecological implications of
such endeavors. As Colossal continues its ambitious projects, the world will be
watching closely to see what the future holds for these resurrected creatures and
the broader implications for conservation and our understanding of life on Earth.
