How Colossal Biosciences’ Dire Wolf De-Extinction Advances Conservation Science

After 12,000 years of extinction, the dire wolf once again walks the earth. On April 7, 2025, Dallas-based biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences announced the successful birth of three healthy dire wolf pups, the first-ever de-extinct animals created through advanced genetic engineering.

The resurrection of the dire wolf is a significant leap forward in genomic technologies with potentially far-reaching implications for endangered species conservation, particularly for the critically endangered American red wolf. Alongside the dire wolf announcement, Colossal revealed the successful birth of four critically endangered red ‘ghost’ wolf pups using the same innovative cloning techniques.

The dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus), an apex predator of the Pleistocene era that vanished approximately 12,500 years ago, was known previously only from fossils and pop culture references like Game of Thrones. Now, three pups are thriving in a secure wildlife facility. The first two, named Romulus and Remus, were born in October 2024. Khaleesi, the third pup, was born in January.

"I could not be more proud of the team. This massive milestone is the first of many coming examples demonstrating that our end-to-end de-extinction technology stack works," said Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal. "Our team took DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies. It was once said, ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ Today, our team gets to unveil some of the magic they are working on and its broader impact on conservation"

The de-extinction process combined cutting-edge genetic science and reproductive technologies. Researchers first extracted and sequenced ancient DNA from dire wolf fossils, then analyzed the genetic blueprint to identify key traits that made dire wolves unique. Using CRISPR gene-editing technology, scientists precisely modified 20 genetic variants across 14 genes in cells from gray wolves, the dire wolf's closest living relative.

The edited cell nuclei were then transferred into egg cells and implanted into domestic dog surrogates, resulting in the birth of the dire wolf pups. This approach set a scientific record, achieving the highest number of deliberate genome edits in any animal to date.

Dr. Beth Shapiro, Colossal's chief science officer and a leading expert in ancient DNA, explained the significance: "Our novel approach to iteratively improve our ancient genome in the absence of a perfect reference sets a new standard for paleogenome reconstruction. Together with improved approaches to recover ancient DNA, these computational advances allowed us to resolve the evolutionary history of dire wolves."

While the resurrection of an extinct species captures headlines, scientists emphasize that the technologies developed for the dire wolf have immediate applications for conservation of endangered species today.

With fewer than 20 red wolves remaining in the wild in North America, this achievement could significantly impact conservation efforts. The captive red wolf population, managed through breeding programs, originates from a limited genetic pool of 12 founder individuals. This restricted genetic diversity poses challenges for the species' long-term viability. The new red wolf pups, derived from three different genetic founder lines, could increase the genetic diversity of the captive red wolf population by 25%.

"Colossal's successful de-extinction of the dire wolf represents a massive coup for conservation," said Matt James, Colossal's chief animal officer. "The technologies developed on the path to the dire wolf are already opening up new opportunities to rescue critically endangered canids."

Key innovations with conservation applications include:

1. Non-invasive biobanking: Scientists developed methods to establish viable cell lines from blood samples rather than tissue biopsies, a less invasive approach for collecting genetic material from endangered animals.
2. Multiplex genome editing: The successful editing of multiple genes demonstrates technology that could help introduce genetic diversity into small, inbred populations of endangered species.
3. Improved reproductive technologies: Advances in embryo creation, transfer, and surrogacy protocols enhance tools available for assisted reproduction in conservation programs.

Dr. Christopher Mason, a scientific advisor for Colossal, noted: "The same technologies that created the dire wolf can directly help save a variety of other endangered animals. This is an extraordinary technological leap in genetic engineering efforts for both science and for conservation."

Colossal has developed its de-extinction work with attention to ethical guidelines from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The dire wolves reside on a 2,000+ acre protected reserve under round-the-clock care and monitoring, with facilities certified by the American Humane Society.

"Colossal has achieved American Humane Certification, the prestigious designation ensuring excellence in animal welfare and care," said Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., CEO of American Humane Society. "The technology they are pursuing may be the key to reversing the sixth mass extinction and making extinction events a thing of the past."

The company emphasizes that de-extinction technologies complement rather than replace traditional conservation approaches. Funding for the dire wolf work came from private technology investment sources rather than diverting resources from existing conservation budgets for endangered species.

"Whether due to natural or human-induced changes in climate, habitat and food source, the extinction of untold number of species is a loss to our planet's history and biodiversity," said Alta Charo, head of bioethics at Colossal. "Modern genetics lets us peer into the past, and modern genetic engineering lets us recover what was lost and might yet thrive. Along the way, it invents the tools that let us protect what is still here."

Colossal is planning to apply similar de-extinction methods to other projects, including efforts to reintroduce the woolly mammoth by 2028 and revive the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) and dodo.

But perhaps more significantly, the technologies developed through de-extinction research may increasingly be integrated into conservation programs for extant endangered species. The successful birth of red ‘ghost’ wolves demonstrates how de-extinction techniques can be applied to prevent further extinctions.

"Today's dire wolf announcement represents an exciting scientific step and demonstrates the power and possibilities of genetic technologies," said Barney Long, Ph.D., senior director of conservation strategies at Re:wild. "These technologies will likely transform the conservation of critically endangered species that still exist, and we are excited to apply them to prevent extinctions."