Scientists ‘de-extinct’ a species for the first time in human history, bringing back the dire wolf.

Genetic engineering company, Colossal Biosciences, have created three dire wolves named Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi.

The dire wolf lived in North and South America around 12,000 years ago but likely went extinct due to their prey.

The company did the impossible by extracting DNA from fossilized remains that were then mixed with their closest living relative, the gray wolf.

CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm shared in a statement: ‘Our team took DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies.’

They then cloned cell lines by using somatic cell nuclear transfers and donor egg cells, by taking DNA out of a cell from a donor.

The embryos were then put into a surrogate which in October 2024, birthed 3 pups.

They are now thriving in a 2,000 acre ecological preserve in the US.

Dr Christopher Mason, a scientific advisor and member of the board of observers for Colossal, said: ‘The de-extinction of the dire wolf and an end-to-end system for de-extinction is transformative and heralds an entirely new era of human stewardship of life.

‘The same technologies that created the dire wolf can directly help save a variety of other endangered animals as well. 

‘This is an extraordinary technological leap in genetic engineering efforts for both science and for conservation as well as preservation of life, and a wonderful example of the power of biotechnology to protect species, both extant and extinct.’

The company’s goal is to bring back the wooly mammoth by 2028.