A Dallas-based company claims to have successfully brought back the extinct dire wolf, a species that last roamed North America 12,500 years ago, using advanced genetic technologies.
A U.S. company has made headlines by claiming to have resurrected an extinct species of wolf known as the dire wolf. This apex predator last roamed the American midcontinent over 12,500 years ago and gained fame through its portrayal in the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” Colossal Biosciences, based in Dallas, asserts that it has successfully created three dire wolves using genome-editing and cloning technologies, marking what it describes as the world’s first successful “de-extincted animal.” However, some experts argue that the company has merely genetically modified existing wolves rather than truly bringing the species back from extinction.
Dire wolves were prevalent during the Ice Age, with the oldest confirmed fossil dating back approximately 250,000 years, discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In “Game of Thrones,” these wolves are depicted as larger and more intelligent than their modern counterparts, exhibiting fierce loyalty to the Stark family, a central noble house in the series.
The three litters produced by Colossal include two adolescent males named Romulus and Remus, along with a female puppy called Khaleesi. The scientists extracted blood cells from a living gray wolf and employed CRISPR technology—short for “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats”—to genetically modify these cells at 20 different sites. According to Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s chief scientist, these modifications were aimed at replicating traits believed to have helped dire wolves survive in cold climates, such as larger body sizes and longer, fuller, light-colored fur.
Of the 20 genome edits made, 15 correspond to genes found in actual dire wolves. The ancient DNA used for these modifications was sourced from two fossils: a tooth from Sheridan Pit, Ohio, estimated to be around 13,000 years old, and an inner ear bone from American Falls, Idaho, which dates back approximately 72,000 years. The genetic material was then transferred into an egg cell from a domestic dog, and the embryos were implanted into surrogate dogs. After a gestation period of 62 days, the genetically engineered pups were born.
Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, described this achievement as a significant milestone, emphasizing that it is just the beginning of what the company hopes to accomplish with its de-extinction technology. “It was once said, ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,’” Lamm stated. “Today, our team gets to unveil some of the magic they are working on and its broader impact on conservation.”
Colossal has previously announced similar initiatives aimed at genetically altering living species to resemble other extinct animals, such as woolly mammoths and dodos. In conjunction with this week’s announcement, the company also revealed the birth of two litters of cloned red wolves, which are critically endangered. This development is seen as evidence of the potential for conservation through de-extinction technology.
Lamm noted that the team had discussions with officials from the Interior Department in late March regarding their projects. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum praised the work on social media, calling it a “thrilling new era of scientific wonder.” However, some scientists have expressed skepticism about the feasibility of restoring extinct species.
Corey Bradshaw, a professor of global ecology at Flinders University in Australia, voiced concerns about the claims made by Colossal. “So yes, they have slightly genetically modified wolves, maybe, and that’s probably the best that you’re going to get,” Bradshaw commented. “And those slight modifications seem to have been derived from retrieved dire wolf material. Does that make it a dire wolf? No. Does it make a slightly modified gray wolf? Yes. And that’s probably about it.”
Colossal Biosciences has stated that the newly created wolves are thriving in a 2,000-acre ecological preserve in Texas, which is certified by the American Humane Society and registered with the USDA. Looking ahead, the company plans to restore the species in secure ecological preserves, potentially on indigenous land, as part of their long-term vision for conservation.
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