Many species have faced extinction, falling prey to various environmental changes or anthropological reasons. Now, scientists have reversed the clock and have potentially resurrected an extinct species of wolf. The dire wolf died out 12,500 years ago, and now it lives again as the first successfully de-extincted animal, according to Dallas-based biotech company Colossal Biosciences. They have been working on resurrecting the mammoth, dodo, and Tasmanian tiger since 2021, but this is the first time they have publicized their work on dire wolves. It’s quite like Jurassic Park, but with mammals.
Colossal scientists claim to have successfully created three dire wolf pups, the first ever in 12,000 years. According to Ben Lamm, Colossal’s co-founder and CEO, DNA samples were collected from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull to make healthy dire wolf puppies. They have used ancient DNA, cloning, and gene editing techniques to alter the genes of a gray wolf. Gray wolves are the closest living relatives of the prehistoric dire wolf, making them a potent support species that can help bring back the dire wolves. The result is a hybrid species of wolf that has a similar appearance to that of the extinct dire wolves.
Dire wolves inspired the canines in the TV series Game of Thrones; in reality, they were one of the top predators in North America. Compared to gray wolves, dire wolves had slightly wider heads, stronger jaws, and light, thick fur.
The science behind de-extinction
The scientists assembled two sets of complete dire wolf genomes using ancient DNA from fossils. After this, the team compared the genome with animals like foxes, wolves, and jackals to identify genetic variants that matched with features specific to dire wolves. According to Colossal’s news release, dire wolves and gray wolves share 99.5% of their DNA. The company isn’t bringing back the dire wolf species with 100% genetic similarity but is trying to recreate their functional copies of these extinct species.
The company made 20 edits through CRISPR technology in 14 genes and cloned the most promising cell lines of altered gray wolf cells. Then, the team transferred the altered cells into donor eggs from domestic dogs. The team took these eggs and removed their nucleus, and then inserted the edited nucleus taken from the altered gray wolf cell, which they clone. Healthy embryos were then transferred into domestic dogs and mixed-breed hounds, which acted as surrogate mothers. Two male pups were born in October last year and a female pup was born in January of this year.
While the physical features have been quite visible, concrete idea about their behavioral features remain largely unknown. Juvenile behaviors are a lot more standoffish and skittish when compared to gray wolves. A lot will be discovered after their “testosterone surge”, says Matt James, Colossal’s chief animal officer.
The overall research and steps taken towards de-extinction can help us conserve many animals which are critically endangered, which is why we need to fuel more research into conservation of animal species.
Scientific skepticism and debate
The announcement of dire wolf “de-extinction” has sharply divided the scientific community. While some researchers call the achievement as a breakthrough for conservation and biotechnology, many scientists and geneticists are skeptical about the true nature of these animals and the broader implications of the project.
The main point of the debate is whether the animals produced are actually dire wolves or simply genetically modified gray wolves. Colossal Biosciences used advanced gene-editing techniques to alter 14 genes in gray wolves, targeting 20 specific genetic differences identified from sequenced ancient dire wolf DNA.
However, experts note that the dire wolf genome differs from that of the gray wolf in millions of places, making the editing of a handful of genes insufficient to fully replicate the extinct species.
The dire wolf genome likely differs from that of the gray wolf in millions or tens of millions of ways. Editing 14 genes is interesting, but it’s not a reconstruction or de-extinction. It’s not even close.
Many scientists caution against overhyping the achievement, emphasizing that the project is more a demonstration of genetic engineering than a true restoration of an extinct species.
There is also significant uncertainty about how these engineered animals will behave and whether they can fulfill the ecological roles once played by dire wolves.
The debate over de-extinction highlights the need for scientific rigor and ethical consideration, with critics urging recognition of technological limitations and questioning whether resources might be better directed toward conserving currently endangered species with viable populations.
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