A significant scientific achievement has resulted in the first birth of a previously extinct Dire Wolf, marking the animal’s return after 12,500 years. This breakthrough comes from Colossal Biosciences, the world’s pioneering company focused on de-extinction. Employing advanced biotechnological methods, the company has successfully created three Dire Wolves—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—using DNA extracted from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a skull dating back 72,000 years.
The team meticulously crafted 20 specific edits to the wolves’ genetic code, incorporating 15 sequences from ancient DNA that had lain dormant for millennia. Colossal’s CEO, Ben Lamm, expressed pride in the team’s success, highlighting this accomplishment as a testament to their innovative de-extinction technology. Lamm commented on the merger of technology and conservation, stating, "Our team gets to unveil some of the magic they are working on and its broader impact on conservation."
The Dire Wolves now inhabit a vast 2,000-acre preserve where they receive dedicated care to ensure their wellbeing. Additionally, Colossal Biosciences has managed to produce two litters of red wolves, the most critically endangered species. This was achieved through a novel non-invasive blood cloning method based on three genetic founder lines, emphasising the importance of preserving genetic diversity to prevent extinction.
Dr. George Church, co-founder and geneticist at Harvard, stressed the need for proactive conservation methods, stating, "Preserving, expanding, and testing genetic diversity should be done well before important endangered animal species like the red wolf are lost."
Colossal’s technological advances include deep ancient DNA sequencing and genomic editing techniques, positioning them at the forefront of wildlife conservation science. Their efforts to resurrect species like the Dire Wolf, known scientifically as Aenocyon dirus, represent one of the largest genomic editing projects applied to a vertebrate. The Dire Wolf, which gained popularity as a fictional creature on the TV series Game of Thrones, once roamed North America during the Pleistocene era, with fossils indicating their presence for up to 250,000 years until their extinction around 13,000 years ago.
These developments showcase not only the potential to revive lost species but also underscore the growing importance of conservation efforts as ecological diversity continues to be compromised.