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Scientists Engineer Wolves with Dire Wolf Traits in Genetic Breakthrough

Science and Technology

Business Honor
08 April, 2025

Wolf pups born with ancient features spark debate on de-extinction and conservation ethics.

In a pioneering breakthrough, researchers at Colossal Biosciences have genetically engineered wolf pups with physical characteristics close to the now-extinct dire wolf. The pups, aged three to six months, have long white coats, powerful jaws, and already weigh around 80 pounds, with expectations of reaching about 140 pounds in adulthood.

The dire wolf, which once walked on the face of North America more than 10,000 years ago, was remarkably bigger than the gray wolves of present times. To acquire this genetic engineering accomplishment, scientists examined ancient DNA taken from dire wolf fossils-a 13,000-year-old tooth from Ohio and a 72,000-year-old skull fragment from Idaho. They isolated 20 unique genetic differences that identify dire wolves from the present-day gray wolves.

Using CRISPR gene-editing technology, the researchers altered gray wolf cells to include these extreme dire wolf traits. The gene-edited material was inserted into domestic dog egg cells. These embryos were implanted into surrogate dogs, leading to the delivery of the genetically altered wolf pups.

Though these dogs physically appear to be dire wolves, solo scientists warn that they might not exactly imitate the extinct animals' behavior or ecological niches. University at Buffalo biologist Vincent Lynch said, "All you can do now is make something look superficially like something else"-emphasizing the shortcoming of de-extinction today.

This feat is part of the debate over the ethics and possibility of de-extinction. Colossal Biosciences also announced plans to bring back other extinct animals, including the woolly mammoth and the dodo, by genetically modifying cells from existing species to create these ancient creatures.