Scientists working for Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based company, has claimed to have successfully performed a de-extinction of a species for the first time in history, the Dire Wolf. 

This species has been extinct for more than 12,500 years. Using ancient DNA from fossils and altering the grey wolf’s genes, three puppies known as Remus, Romulus, and Khaleesi have been created. The male pups have names from the Roman mythology story that tells the founding of Rome by twin brothers, Romulus and Remus. The female pup, Khalessi, was named after the Game of Thrones character, a tribute to the show featuring the Dire Wolves. 

The Dire Wolf was one of the many animals in the Ice Age era. While Dire wolves are closely related to the Grey Wolf, they have their differences. Dire wolves have wider heads, thicker legs and fur, broader shoulders, and a fuller snout than a Grey wolf. It was also averaged around five feet long and 150 pounds. With these physical features, they hunted very large animals, such as mammoths. Dire Wolves were more commonly roaming the Americas, from Canada to as south as Venezuela. 

Because this animal is so ancient, the DNA needed was found in fossils around 13,000 years old. For nine months, Colossal harvested the DNA and assembled complete sets of genetic information. Comparing this information to other living species, they were able to identify the genetic traits of Dire Wolves. 

“We aren’t trying to bring something back that’s 100% genetically identical to another species. Our goal with de-extinction is always to create functional copies of these extinct species. We were focusing on identifying variants that we knew would lead to one of these key traits,” said Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s chief science officer. 

Along with this massive milestone of de-extinction, the scientists also brought back other species. Using the technology, they were able to birth four Red Wolves, also an endangered species. 

Colossal has plans to de-extinct and aid the endangered species of other animals as well, such as the Wooly mammoth, Dodo bird, Tasmanian Tiger, and Red wolf. If they could reach this massive milestone today, who knows what we can achieve in the future?