A biotech company has, sort of, revived the long-extinct dire wolf
The dire wolf, a fierce and majestic beast that once roamed the Americas, has been brought back from the dead by American biotech company Colossal Biosciences. The company made headlines with its announcement of the successful de-extinction of the dire wolf, marking a significant milestone in the field of genetic engineering.
The two fluffy white wolf pups, named Romulus and Remus, were showcased in videos roaming in a 2,000-acre habitat in the northern U.S. The puppies, with dire wolf genes, have been described as “dire-ish” by some scientists, as they are not exact replicas of the ancient dire wolves but possess similar characteristic features.
The dire wolf, which went extinct over 13,000 years ago, was known for hunting large prey like horses, bison, and giant sloths. Colossal Biosciences extracted DNA from ancient dire wolf remains and used gene editing techniques to create embryos with dire wolf traits, which were then implanted into surrogate mothers.
While some experts have raised questions about the practicality and ethical implications of de-extinction projects, Colossal Biosciences sees this as an opportunity to raise awareness about endangered species like the red wolf. The company also announced the successful cloning of four red wolves using a less invasive technique developed during the dire wolf project.
The CEO of Colossal Biosciences, Ben Lamm, emphasized the importance of preserving existing species and habitats, while also exploring new technologies to aid in conservation efforts. The reintroduction of dire wolves to the wild would require extensive consultation with various stakeholders and Indigenous communities who have expressed interest in the project.
Overall, the resurrection of the dire wolf has sparked a mix of excitement and skepticism within the scientific community. As researchers continue to study the dire wolf pups and their impact on conservation efforts, the world eagerly awaits to see how this groundbreaking achievement will shape the future of genetic engineering and species preservation.
