U.S. Biotech company Colossal Biosciences has announced the creation of genetically engineered wolves resembling the extinct dire wolves, a species that disappeared over 10,000 years ago.
The three wolf pups named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, aged between three and six months, are larger and more muscular than modern gray wolves, which are their closest living relatives. Currently weighing around 80 pounds and measuring about 4 feet in length, they are expected to grow to 140 pounds at maturity and around 1.8 meters in length.
Scientists at Colossal Biosciences used ancient DNA extracted from fossils dating as far back as 72,000 years. They then took blood cells from a modern gray wolf and modified them using CRISPR technology, altering 20 specific genes. This modified genetic material was transferred to the egg cells of domestic dogs, and embryos were implanted into dog surrogates. The pups were born 62 days later.
However, experts caution that these genetically engineered wolves are not a true reincarnation of the extinct species, but rather an approximation. The wolves will likely never develop the hunting and survival skills that were vital to the species due to the lack of parental guidance.
