Colossal Biosciences Unveils Gene-Edited Wolves with Dire Wolf Traits

The biotech company claims a de-extinction milestone, though experts argue the animals are genetically modified gray wolves, not true dire wolves.

Colossal Biosciences has announced the creation of three wolf pups—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—engineered with traits of the extinct dire wolf using CRISPR technology.
The pups were produced by editing 20 genetic changes into gray wolf DNA, based on ancient dire wolf fossils, and implanting embryos into surrogate dogs.
While the company touts this as the first successful de-extinction, experts dispute the claim, describing the animals as modified gray wolves with superficial dire wolf-like characteristics.
The wolves are being housed in a 2,000-acre secure reserve in the U.S., with no current plans for release into the wild, emphasizing the project's research focus.
The breakthrough highlights advancements in synthetic biology but raises ethical and ecological concerns, with critics urging focus on conserving existing species rather than pursuing de-extinction.