Dire Wolf Extinction: Colossal Biosciences made headlines in April this year with a dramatic announcement: the rebirth of the dire wolf, a species that has been extinct for over 10,000 years. Three snowy white animals—Khaleesi, Romulus, and Remus—were unveiled as the first “de-extincted” dire wolves. However, the company’s claim quickly came under scrutiny from scientists who argued that these were not true dire wolves but genetically modified grey wolves.
Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s chief science officer, has now confirmed in an interview with New Scientist that the animals are indeed gray wolves with 20 specific gene edits. “It’s not possible to bring something back that is identical to a species that used to be alive,” Shapiro clarified. “Our animals are grey wolves with 20 edits that are cloned. And we’ve said that from the very beginning.”
Biology vs. Morphology
The heart of the debate lies in how one defines a species. Shapiro explained that Colossal uses the morphological species concept—defining species based on appearance. By contrast, most scientists adhere to the biological species concept, which classifies organisms by their ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
This divergence has led to a public misunderstanding. While the wolves may resemble dire wolves, critics argue that appearance alone doesn’t resurrect a species, particularly one that hasn’t roamed the Earth for millennia.
What was actually created?
Colossal used dire wolf DNA extracted from fossils to identify traits they could replicate. They edited 14 genes across gray wolf DNA to alter visible features like coat color and body size. The edited cells were implanted into domestic dogs, resulting in the birth of the three wolves.
Despite the technological achievement, experts caution that the changes are minimal. “A gray wolf with 20 edits, even if these are key differences, is still very much a gray wolf,” said paleogeneticist Nic Lawrence, noting that over 12 million individual genetic differences still separate the two species.
Colossal insists it was transparent. “In our press release, we stated we made 20 gene edits to gray wolf cells,” said a company spokesperson. “We never hid that. But species are a human construct—others can call them what they want.”
Still, the branding of these animals as “dire wolves” led many to believe a full de-extinction had occurred. Shapiro acknowledged the backlash but defended the terminology, noting that it served to reflect the animals’ appearance and the ambition of the project.
While the wolves have stirred scientific debate, Colossal remains undeterred. The company says Khaleesi, Romulus, and Remus are thriving and represent a major milestone in its broader goals—including efforts to revive the dodo, thylacine, and woolly mammoth.