Colossal Biosciences Brings Back Extinct Dire Wolves Using Cutting-Edge DNA Technology

A type of wolf that vanished around 12,500 years ago now walks the earth once more, as what is being called the “world’s first successfully de-extincted animal.” This remarkable achievement was announced by Colossal Biosciences, a biotech firm based in Dallas.

The scientists at Colossal have successfully bred three dire wolf pups through a combination of ancient DNA recovery, cloning, and advanced gene-editing techniques. They modified the genes of a gray wolf, the closest living relative of the prehistoric dire wolf, to achieve this breakthrough. The end result is a hybrid species that strikingly resembles its long-extinct ancestor.

Known as Aenocyon dirus, the dire wolf served as the inspiration for the intimidating direwolves featured in the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” This apex predator once dominated the landscapes of North America. Describing the dire wolves, the company noted they were larger than gray wolves, boasting slightly broader heads, thick fur, and more powerful jaws. (Incidentally, HBO shares its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, with CNN.)

Since 2021, Colossal has been making strides towards reviving extinct species like the mammoth, dodo, and Tasmanian tiger. However, their efforts concerning dire wolves had not been disclosed until now.

“This monumental milestone is just the beginning of a series of upcoming instances showcasing the effectiveness of our comprehensive de-extinction technology,” stated Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal, in a press release. “Our team extracted DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull to produce healthy dire wolf pups.”