What is the limit? Scientists claim to have resuscitated extinct giant wolf

The dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) was a previously-extinct canine that roamed North and South America during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene, roughly between 125,000 and 10,000 years ago.

Similar in size to today’s largest gray wolves, it had bigger teeth and a stronger bite—perfectly adapted for hunting large herbivores like horses, giant sloths, mastodons, and ancient bison. The first specimen of the species was discovered in 1854 in the bed of the Ohio River near Evansville, Indiana.

Dire wolves died out around 14,000 years ago

Fossil remains of dire wolves have been discovered in a variety of habitats, from plains and grasslands to forested mountain regions. The largest collection of dire wolf fossils comes from the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, providing valuable insights into their prehistoric existence.

The species was made famous by the fantasy series Game of Thrones but a specimen hasn’t been seen on Earth for 12,000 years. However, it seems the dire wolf could be making a comeback. Biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences has successfully engineered three dire wolf pups—a

The company has framed its genetic editing technology not just as a tool for reviving prehistoric animals, but as a broader scientific breakthrough. This latest development led to the birth of two 36-kilogram brothers, Remus and Romulus, along with their sister, Khaleesi—named after the well-known Game of Thrones character.

The dire wolf pups live in a fenced nature reserve at an undisclosed location in the United States and are fed a diet of beef, venison, and horse meat, supplemented with specially formulated feed, according to Colossal. The brothers are estimated to be 20–25% larger than their closest living relative, the gray wolf, at their current age. The company predicts they will weigh around 63 kilograms as adults.

“If we achieve de-extinction, we’ll be developing technologies that can contribute to human health and conservation,” said Colossal CEO Ben Lamm. “That aspect of the broader system alone is worth billions of dollars.”

How scientists obtained DNA to restore extinct dire wolves

Bringing these giant wolves to life was no small feat. Colossal Biosciences reached out to museums across the United States in search of specimens containing valuable DNA from these extinct creatures. Eventually, they found a 72,000-year-old skull in Idaho and a 13,000-year-old tooth in Ohio, according to Dr. Beth Shapiro, the company’s chief scientific officer.

Shapiro and her team carefully ground small samples from each fossil, sequenced the DNA, and analyzed the results for insights into key traits of the dire wolf. The team then extracted cells from gray wolves and made 20 genetic modifications, focusing on attributes distinctive to the ancient predator—such as its large size, powerful musculature, and white fur.

Finally, they inserted these altered cells into domestic dog eggs, which were then implanted into surrogate mothers—large hound mixes—who carried the pups to term.

Red wolves cloned

Colossal Biosciences announced that it has successfully cloned and birthed two litters of red wolves—the most endangered wolf species in the world—using a groundbreaking, non-invasive blood-based cloning technique.

The four pups have been named Hope, Blaze, Cinder, and Ash, marking a significant step in conservation efforts for a species on the brink of extinction.

Not everybody agrees with what Colossal Biosciences are doing. Dr. Robert Klitzman, director of the Masters of Bioethics at Columbia University, was scathing of the project, telling CNN: “We’re messing with nature. We’re genetically engineering these wolves. If we start tinkering with genes, there may be unexpected problems.”

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