'Game of Thrones' dire wolves return after 12,000 years: How researchers brought them back

Everybody fell in love with direwolves, the enormous, white, fluffy-looking wolves, post ‘Game Of Thrones’. These prehistoric canines were an intrinsic part of the iconic TV series and became a global sensation along with the ‘GOT’ franchise.

Now, your fantasy of seeing these humongous Ice Age predators in the flesh has come true!

A team of researchers from Colossal Biosciences has accomplished a groundbreaking feat, resurrecting a small piece of the Ice Age. They have successfully bred three wolf pups that bear an uncanny likeness to the now-extinct dire wolves — massive predators that once ruled the North American landscape more than 10,000 years ago.

Birth of the Pups: A Remarkable Beginning

The first two pups, named Romulus and Remus, came into the world on October 1, 2024, with a third pup, Khaleesi, following shortly after. These extraordinary creatures reside in a secluded area known as Zone Alpha, an expansive 2,000-acre ecological reserve located in the northern United States. Here, a dedicated team of researchers and animal care experts monitors and nurtures the pups.

The facility, designed with both safety and scientific research in mind, is equipped with 9-foot-high fences, surveillance drones, and a fully operational animal hospital, ensuring the wolves' well-being and supporting ongoing studies. Their diet consists of meat such as beef, deer, and horse, with a gradual shift towards whole prey as they mature.

The Scientific Breakthrough: Decoding Ancient DNA

To bring the dire wolves back in some form, Colossal’s scientists delved into ancient genetic data extracted from fossilized remains. They studied a 13,000-year-old tooth from Ohio and a skull fragment over 72,000 years old from Idaho, both preserved in museum collections. These invaluable samples allowed the team to identify key genetic traits of the long-extinct species, offering insights into their DNA blueprint.

Using cutting-edge CRISPR gene-editing technology, the researchers altered the genetic material of grey wolf cells, modifying 20 specific genes. These modified cells were then combined with egg cells from domestic dogs and implanted into surrogate dog mothers. The result was the birth of genetically modified pups, which exhibit a striking resemblance to the dire wolves, all after a 62-day gestation period.

Behavioral Differences: Not Quite the Same

Despite their physical similarities to the ancient predators, Matt James, the lead animal care expert at Colossal, emphasized that these pups are unlikely to behave exactly like their long-lost ancestors. He pointed out that the skills needed for hunting and survival, such as how to take down a large elk or bison, are learned behaviors passed down from wild parents, something that these pups will never acquire. “What they will probably never learn is the finishing move of how to kill a giant elk or a big deer,” James explained, stressing the importance of experiential knowledge in animal behavior.

The Reality of Extinction: A Step Toward De-Extinction

While these pups may resemble dire wolves, experts caution that this achievement does not signify the return of the ancient creatures to North America’s plains. Vincent Lynch, a biologist from the University at Buffalo who was not involved in the project, noted that while it is possible to create organisms that resemble extinct species, true de-extinction — bringing back fully functional species — remains out of reach. "All you can do now is make something look superficially like something else — not fully revive extinct species," Lynch stated.

The Dire Wolves of the Past

Long ago, dire wolves prowled across the North American continent, hunting enormous Ice Age creatures such as bison and ground sloths. These predators were known for their wide skulls, oversized fangs, and muscular builds, which made them some of the most fearsome carnivores of their time. Their reign, however, came to an end approximately 12,500 years ago when they vanished from existence. But in a twist of fate, two ancient fossil discoveries — a tooth unearthed in Ohio and a skull fragment recovered in Idaho — have offered modern scientists an opportunity to revive echoes of this extinct species through advanced genetic research.