Beyond the hype: The truth behind the ‘de-extinction’ of dire wolves
Colossal Biosciences has brought the legendary dire wolf back to life, but scientific experts are questioning whether these wolves are genuine or just genetically modified hybrids
In the fictional world of Game of Thrones, dire wolves prowled the snowy landscapes as loyal companions to the Stark family. Now, a Texas-based firm claims to have brought these ancient beasts back from extinction. The naming of one pup "Khaleesi" - after a beloved character from the series - seems almost too perfect for this science-meets-fantasy tale.
A couple of days ago, Colossal Biosciences, a company valued at $10 billion, announced what they described as a historic breakthrough: the "de-extinction" of the dire wolf, a species not seen on Earth for more than 12,000 years.
"On 1 October 2024, for the first time in human history, Colossal successfully restored a once-eradicated species through the science of de-extinction," the company declared on its website.
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Three white, wolf-like pups — two males called Romulus and Remus, and a female named Khaleesi — now live on an 800-hectare reserve at an undisclosed location in the northern US. The brothers are reported as "about 20 to 25% bigger than their closest living relative, a grey wolf, would be at their age."
But despite the impressive headlines and a striking white wolf on the cover of Time Magazine, experts remain sceptical about what these animals truly represent.
Behind the claim
Colossal's approach involved extracting ancient DNA from a 72,000-year-old dire wolf skull found in Idaho and a 13,000-year-old tooth from Ohio. The team then studied this genetic material to identify key traits of the extinct species.
"If we are successful in de-extinction, we're building technologies that can help human health care and conservation."
Dr Beth Shapiro, Colossal's chief science officer, explains their process: "We took grey wolf cells and made 20 gene edits focused on dire wolf traits like large size, heavy muscles and a white coat." These modified cells were inserted into egg cells from domestic dogs and implanted into surrogate mothers — large hound mixes — who delivered the pups via caesarean section.
When the first pup was born, Colossal Chief Animal Officer Matt James recalled the emotional moment: "I can't believe we're holding the first dire wolf in 12,000 years."
Not really dire wolves?
Independent experts, however, dispute the claim that these are genuine dire wolves.
"What Colossal has produced is a grey wolf, but it has some dire wolf-like characteristics, like a larger skull and white fur," said Dr Nic Rawlence from Otago University. "It's a hybrid."
The disconnect stems from fundamental genetic differences between grey wolves and dire wolves. While Colossal states the two species share 99.5% of their DNA, this still leaves millions of genetic differences. Dr Rawlence explains that "the grey wolf genome is 2,447,000,000 individual bases (DNA letters) long... that is still 12,235,000 individual differences. So a grey wolf with 20 edits to 14 genes, even if these are key differences, is still very much a grey wolf."
The scientific revelation in 2021 that grey wolves and dire wolves last shared a common ancestor around six million years ago further complicates the claim. Jackals, African wild dogs and dholes are all more closely related to grey wolves than dire wolves are, despite their similar appearances.
Conservation tool or commercial venture?
Colossal frames its work as crucial for biodiversity and conservation. Alongside the dire wolf announcement, the company revealed it had also cloned endangered red wolves, creating four puppies named Hope, Blaze, Cinder and Ash — potentially aiding a species with fewer than 20 members left in the wild.
"If we are successful in de-extinction, we're building technologies that can help human health care and conservation," Colossal CEO Ben Lamm said. "Just that piece of the larger system is worth billions of dollars."
The company has attracted impressive investors, including Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson and a not-for-profit investment firm founded by the Central Intelligence Agency. Even Paris Hilton is reportedly among the backers.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk had a characteristically quirky response to Time magazine's story, which also reveals Colossal's latest plan to resurrect yet another extinct species — the woolly mammoth. Posting on X, Musk wrote, "Please make a miniature pet woolly mammoth."
The post quickly went viral, fueling even more excitement surrounding the return of not just dire wolves, but also mammoths.
Whatever your view on these magnificent white wolves, one thing is certain — they represent both the remarkable capabilities and profound responsibilities of modern genetic science. Like the fictional wolves of Winterfell, they stand at the intersection of power, wonder, and questions about our relationship with the natural world.
