A US biotech firm has reignited ethical concerns after unveiling what it claims are “de-extinct” dire wolves—genetically engineered animals created from ancient DNA and modern grey wolves. Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences, known for projects involving the woolly mammoth and dodo, recently introduced Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, a trio of large, pale-coated canines bred using gene editing and surrogate dog mothers. These creatures, resembling prehistoric predators, are said to be proxies for the long-extinct dire wolf, a dominant Ice Age species believed to have vanished over 13,000 years ago.
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Despite the fanfare, conservationists remain sceptical. Critics argue that the energy and funding poured into de-extinction efforts would be better spent protecting living species such as the grey and red wolves—both under serious threat. The grey wolf population in the wild is declining due to habitat loss and hunting, while the red wolf is now considered the most endangered wolf species, with only 16 remaining in the wild. Cloning, experts warn, does little to address immediate threats like human encroachment, road traffic, or the rollback of legal protections.
Ethical and ecological concerns also cloud the future of these engineered animals. The recreated dire wolves may lack natural instincts and behaviours passed down through parental care, raising questions about their long-term survival and impact on ecosystems. Their reintroduction into the modern world, drastically different from the Pleistocene, could create unforeseen consequences—especially given today’s challenges such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
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Nonetheless, Colossal insists its work complements traditional conservation, offering technological tools that could help endangered species adapt faster than natural selection allows. “We’re not offering a silver bullet,” said Colossal’s chief animal officer, Matthew James. “But in the face of rapid environmental change, we believe biotechnology must be part of the solution.” Whether the public agrees remains to be seen—but for now, Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi run freely on a private preserve, the centre of a very modern conservation dilemma.
