Scientists claim to have resurrected dire wolf that went extinct 10,000 years ago

In a controversial experiment that has ignited debate across the scientific world, three gene-edited pups resembling the extinct dire wolf have been born, with researchers touting it as a major leap in de-extinction efforts.

Dallas-based biotech firm Colossal Biosciences, known for its ambitions to revive long-extinct species, says the pups were created using ancient DNA from dire wolves — large predators that disappeared over 10,000 years ago. By reconstructing the dire wolf genome from preserved remains and editing the DNA of modern grey wolves, the company claims to have brought a piece of prehistory back to life.

The pups — named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi — were delivered by domestic dogs acting as surrogates. Colossal says the animals bear a striking resemblance to the dire wolves that once roamed the Americas during the Late Pleistocene era.

But not everyone is convinced. Experts told NewScientist that the pups are not true dire wolves, but rather grey wolves modified with certain genetic markers from their extinct relatives. While the effort is seen as scientifically impressive, critics argue that the result falls short of actual de-extinction.

Colossal, which gained attention in March for creating a "woolly mouse" — a lab animal meant to test genes linked to the extinct woolly mammoth — says these efforts are stepping stones toward more ambitious goals, including bringing back the woolly mammoth, the dodo, and the Tasmanian tiger.

Founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Ben Lamm and Harvard geneticist George Church, Colossal is now valued at over $10 billion. Interestingly, Church himself holds no equity in the company.

The firm insists its genetic innovations have conservation value. It’s currently in talks with North Carolina officials to apply its technology to help the endangered red wolf population, and is also exploring biodiversity contracts with an unnamed island nation.

Despite the buzz, the concept of de-extinction remains divisive. Critics like University of Arizona geoscientist Karl Flessa have dismissed the projects as attention-grabbing stunts, warning of unpredictable consequences. “Releasing genetically modified organisms into the environment — what could go wrong?” he said.

The dire wolf, Canis dirus, was once the largest member of the dog family, boasting a skull up to a foot long and teeth far larger than today’s grey wolves — built to bring down massive prey in a prehistoric world.

Whether the new pups represent the beginning of something revolutionary or merely a modern mimicry of a lost species remains an open question — one that continues to spark scientific, ethical, and ecological debate.