Dire Wolves Are Back: Cloned Pups Born After 13,000 Years

April 8, 2025

By Vinit Hirave

A Real-Life “Game of Thrones” Moment

The long-extinct dire wolf, once a mythical creature of ancient legends and pop culture, has officially returned to the land of the living. Thanks to the pioneering work of Colossal Biosciences, scientists have successfully cloned the first dire wolf pups—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—using advanced gene-editing techniques.

These pups aren’t just symbolic. They’re real, living animals, born from domestic dog surrogates, carrying genetic traits sourced from dire wolf fossils dated back as far as 72,000 years.

How Scientists Made It Happen

Reviving an extinct species isn’t just science fiction anymore. Researchers began by analyzing ancient DNA extracted from dire wolf remains. After identifying about 20 crucial gene edits that set dire wolves apart from modern gray wolves, they used CRISPR-like tools to integrate those changes into a gray wolf genome.

That edited DNA was implanted into embryos and carried to term by domestic dog mothers. The result? Three healthy pups with dire wolf genetics, robust builds, and distinct features we haven’t seen for thousands of years.

Why This Matters for Science and the Planet

This isn’t just a flashy genetic experiment—it’s part of a larger effort to address biodiversity loss. As climate change and habitat destruction push more species toward extinction, breakthroughs like this offer hope for restoring lost ecosystems.

Colossal Biosciences is also working on reviving the woolly mammoth and the Tasmanian tiger, making dire wolves just the beginning of a new era in conservation biology.

The Ethical Debate

Of course, not everyone is cheering. While many view this as a win for science, critics are raising red flags. Is it ethical to bring back an extinct predator? Will these animals have a place in today’s ecosystem? And are they really “dire wolves,” or just close replicas?

These are fair questions—and ones that researchers are taking seriously. The team behind the project insists their goal isn’t to create theme park spectacles but to restore balance in struggling ecosystems using species that once played crucial roles.

Joe Rogan, Fans, and the Cultural Buzz

The news has gone viral, capturing attention everywhere from mainstream media to the Joe Rogan Experience. Rogan, known for his takes on science and the wild, called it “one of the craziest things I’ve ever heard,” sparking major interest among his audience and beyond.

Fans of Game of Thrones are also losing it over the fact that the pups are named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—a nod to both Roman mythology and fantasy lore.

What Happens Next?

The cloned pups will be monitored closely as they grow. Scientists hope to study their behavior, development, and interactions with their environment. While there are no plans yet to release them into the wild, their existence could pave the way for a controlled reintroduction if future conditions are right.

This development has cracked open the door to an entirely new frontier: a world where extinct species might once again roam Earth—not just in textbooks or TV shows, but in the flesh.

TL;DR:

Scientists have cloned three dire wolf pups using ancient DNA and gene editing.
The pups—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—represent the first successful dire wolf de-extinction.
The move has sparked ethical debates and massive public interest, including reactions from Joe Rogan and fantasy fans alike.
This could be a game-changer for conservation and biodiversity restoration efforts.