Dire Wolves: From Extinction and TV Show to Ressurection

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - It’s hard to count how many animal species have vanished from the Earth—whether due to natural selection or human activities. Now, scientists are on a mission to bring some of them back. One of those extinct creatures is the dire wolf, and through a complex biological process, scientists claimed to have managed to resurrect them.

According to CNN, the dire wolf—a species believed to have gone extinct around 12,500 years ago—has become the first animal to be successfully "de-extincted", thanks to a team of scientists from a Dallas-based biotech company, Colossal Biosciences. This breakthrough was made possible using a mix of ancient DNA, cloning, and gene editing technology involving the gray wolf. But what exactly is a dire wolf?

Referring to various sources, this article will give you a quick introduction to what dire wolves are and how Colossal’s scientists were able to bring them back to life.

What Is a Dire Wolf?

The dire wolf, known scientifically as Canis (Aenocyon) dirus, was a species of the canine family that went extinct over 10,000 years ago. Britannica notes that these wolves lived during the Pleistocene Epoch, which lasted from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago.

These prehistoric wolves once roamed the Americas. According to the National Park Service, dire wolves were found from Alaska all the way down to southern Mexico in North America, with the first fossil discovered in 1854 along the Ohio River in Indiana. Thousands more fossils have been unearthed from Rancho La Brea in Los Angeles.

As mentioned earlier, the recently revived dire wolves were brought back using edited genes from modern-day gray wolves (Canis lupus), which are their closest living relatives. Still, there are clear differences between the two.

Britannica states that dire wolves had larger bodies but smaller brains, with light limbs, compared to gray wolves. Their teeth were also bigger and stronger.

The National Park Service also specifies that a dire wolf’s skull could reach up to 12 inches (around 31 cm), with shoulder height up to 38 inches (about 97 cm) and a body length of around 69 inches (roughly 175 cm). TIME even noted that dire wolves could grow up to 6 feet long (around 183 cm) and weigh as much as 150 lbs (approximately 68 kg).

These powerful carnivores were able to live in various habitats, including coastal open woodlands and boreal grasslands. Moreover, isotope analysis of their fossils suggests they mainly fed on larger herbivores, especially horses.

Furthermore, prior to the recent breakthrough, dire wolves had already made their way into pop culture, largely attributable to the hit fantasy show, Game of Thrones. However, the wolves on the show weren’t real ones—they were actually portrayed by Northern Inuit dogs and Arctic wolves.

Gene Editing and Resurrecting the Dire Wolf

By applying a complex biological process, the team at Colossal was able to de-extinct dire wolves. As CNN explained, the effort started by extracting ancient DNA from two dire wolf fossils. Scientists then modified the genes within gray wolf cells and transferred them into donor eggs.

On October 1, 2024, two male dire wolf pups were born through C-section from surrogate hounds (domestic dogs). They were named Romulus and Remus. A few months later, on January 30, 2025, to be precise, a female pup was born and named Khaleesi, after a character from Game of Thrones, as Newsweek mentioned.

All three pups now live in a 2,000-acre preserve and are under close monitoring by Colossal. CNN reports that the facility is certified by the American Humane Society and registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Dire Wolves De-Extinction and Beyond

Colossal Biosciences isn’t stopping with the dire wolf. According to TIME, the company—founded in 2021—has an ambitious list of extinct animals it hopes to resurrect, including the woolly mammoth, the dodo bird, and the Tasmanian tiger.

In fact, about the wooly mammoth, Colossal has already managed to create a furry mouse, distinctive for its long, golden mantle. ABC News also reports that the company is optimistic that we’ll see mammoths roaming again as early as 2028.

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