In brief
Colossal Biosciences has successfully bred gray wolf pups that carry genes from the long-extinct dire wolf. These unique animals, named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, exhibit features like a pale coat, resembling their ancient relatives, and may aid in future conservation efforts.
For over a decade, scientists have been fascinated with bringing extinct species back to life, a process known as de-extinction. Recently, Colossal Biosciences made headlines by successfully breeding gray wolf pups infused with dire wolf DNA, a species popularized by the show "Game of Thrones." Back in 2021, researchers extracted DNA from the fossil remains of dire wolves, which vanished around 13,000 years ago. Building on this breakthrough, Colossal has altered 20 genes in gray wolves to give rise to traits reminiscent of dire wolves. Surrogate dogs carried and birthed three wolf pups, named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi.These pups, now 6 months and 2 months old, possess some sold yet unique characteristics, such as their larger size and fluffy, pale coats—traits not seen in today’s gray wolves. The scientists at Colossal have asserted that this achievement marks the first successful case of de-extinction.While these remarkable wolves will remain in captivity on a spacious, private facility in the northern U.S., the techniques developed could pave the way for conserving endangered species, like the critically threatened red wolf in North Carolina.
