In a leap from myth to reality, biotech firm Colossal Biosciences has unveiled the world’s first genetically engineered animals carrying traits of the extinct dire wolf, which vanished over 12,000 years ago.

“You’re hearing the first howl of a dire wolf in over 10,000 years,” the Dallas-based company declared on social media. “Meet Romulus and Remus—the world’s first de-extinct animals, born on October 1, 2024.” A third pup, Khaleesi, was born in January 2025.

But this isn’t Game of Thrones—it’s real science. Using ancient fossils, including a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull fragment, Colossal reconstructed the dire wolf genome with 500 times more precision than previous efforts. Through CRISPR gene editing, scientists modified modern grey wolf DNA, targeting 14 genes to replicate features like the dire wolf’s muscular frame, broad skull, and pale coat.

“Our team took DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies,” said Ben Lamm, Colossal’s co-founder and CEO.

These are not clones, but hybrids. Colossal notes: “These two wolves were brought back from extinction using genetic edits derived from a complete dire wolf genome…” Where genes posed risks—like white fur linked to deafness—safer modern alternatives were used.

“It carries dire wolf genes… and that is very cool,” said Professor Love Dalén, evolutionary genomics expert and Colossal adviser.

The pups now roam “Zone Alpha,” a high-security 2,000-acre preserve with 10-foot fencing, drones, and an on-site hospital.

Colossal’s ambitions extend further—with plans to revive the woolly mammoth, dodo, and Tasmanian tiger.

Still, critics caution against overreach. “You can make something look superficially like something else—not fully revive extinct species,” warned biologist Vincent Lynch.

But for now, the howl of Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi has rekindled ancient awe—and sparked global imagination.