{"id":598852,"date":"2026-05-09T15:40:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T15:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=598852"},"modified":"2026-05-09T15:40:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T15:40:00","slug":"de-extinct-dire-wolves-ready-to-breed-bioscience-company-pushes-forward-multiple-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=598852","title":{"rendered":"De-Extinct Dire Wolves Ready To Breed; Bioscience Company Pushes Forward Multiple Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden\">De-Extinct Dire Wolves Ready To Breed; Bioscience Company Pushes Forward Multiple Projects<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/modernity.news\/2026\/05\/08\/de-extinct-dire-wolves-ready-to-breed-bioscience-company-pushes-forward-multiple-projects\/\"><em>Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Colossal Biosciences has announced that its de-extinct dire wolves\u2014Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi\u2014are now breeding-aged and the firm plans to expand the pack later this year. The development marks a significant step for the Texas-based company in its mission to restore extinct species through genetic engineering.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a data-image-external-href=\"\" data-image-href=\"\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/diremod.jpg?itok=g29qWNUe\" data-link-option=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/cms.zerohedge.com\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/diremod.jpg?itok=g29qWNUe\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"f9b93a22-3058-41d1-a7e0-247c9015f824\" data-responsive-image-style=\"inline_images\" height=\"281\" width=\"500\" class=\"inline-images image-style-inline-images\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/inline_image_mobile\/public\/inline-images\/diremod.jpg?itok=g29qWNUe\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The dire wolf pups, born in late 2024 and early 2025, represent the world\u2019s first de-extinct animals. They have thrived in a secure 2,000-acre preserve, reaching milestones like learning to process whole deer carcasses and now showing readiness for natural breeding behaviors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe dire wolf pack is actually breeding-aged at this point,\u201d Matt James, Colossal\u2019s chief animal officer, said, adding \u201cBut we will initially grow the pack through\u00a0assisted\u00a0reproduction while we create new, genetically diverse individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p>The company intends to engineer two to four additional pups to boost genetic diversity before allowing full natural breeding. \u201cThe plan is to create an inter-breedable population of dire wolves in which they would eventually breed naturally to create a sustainable population of the world\u2019s first de-extinct species,\u201d James continued.<\/p>\n<p>He further added, \u201cWe will grow the population through\u00a0assisted\u00a0reproduction initially and then eventually only rely on natural breeding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe dire wolves are doing great,\u201d Ben Lamm, Colossal\u2019s CEO and co-founder, stated., adding \u201cThe three dire wolves live on a 2,000-acre secure, expansive ecological preserve that allows us to monitor and manage them while providing them a semi-wild habitat to thrive in. We hope to have more dire wolf pups by the end of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Colossal reconstructed the dire wolf genome from ancient DNA fragments in bone samples, including a 72,000-year-old skull. Scientists then edited gray wolf embryos to incorporate key traits: a white coat, larger teeth, more muscular build, and distinctive howl. Embryos were implanted in surrogate dogs, with births by caesarean section.<\/p>\n<p>Watch\u00a0the\u00a0full story\u00a0of their creation:<\/p>\n\n<p>See the pups\u2019 early development and first howls in over 10,000 years:<\/p>\n\n<p>Colossal is running several parallel de-extinction projects:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Woolly\u00a0Mammoth<\/strong>: Aiming for a live calf by late 2028 through Asian elephant genome editing to restore cold-adapted traits and Arctic ecosystem functions.<br \/>\n\t\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger)<\/strong>: Editing fat-tailed dunnart cells to revive this extinct marsupial predator.<br \/>\n\t\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dodo<\/strong>: Using Nicobar pigeon cells and stem cell technology to revive the iconic bird extinct for over 350 years.<br \/>\n\t\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Moa<\/strong>: Colossal is working on the giant flightless bird of New Zealand, extinct for about 600 years. Director Peter Jackson has invested, calling it a dream project. Related coverage:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/modernity.news\/2025\/07\/14\/peter-jackson-invests-in-genetic-project-to-bring-giant-bird-back-from-extinction\/\">Peter Jackson Invests In Genetic Project To Bring Giant Bird Back From Extinction<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In April, Colossal announced the bluebuck antelope (<em>Hippotragus leucophaeus<\/em>) as its sixth de-extinction target\u2014the first large African mammal driven to extinction in modern history around 1800.<\/p>\n<p>The striking silvery-blue antelope once roamed South Africa\u2019s grasslands as a grazer and seed disperser. Habitat loss, farming, and overhunting by European settlers led to its disappearance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t love that ending. So we\u2019re rewriting it,\u201d the company states. Using high-quality reference genomes and editing roan antelope cells (its closest relative) as surrogates. The project advances reproductive technologies like ovum pick-up, IVF, and embryo transfer for antelopes, with broader benefits for conservation.<\/p>\n\n<p>Critics note these animals are genetically edited proxies rather than identical clones, and question ecological reintroduction risks in changed environments. Colossal emphasizes ethical animal welfare, semi-wild habitats, and using de-extinction tech to aid living endangered species.<\/p>\n<p>The projects continue to draw global attention, blending advanced biotechnology with conservation goals.<\/p>\n<p>For those clamouring for Jurassic Park style de-extinction of dinosaurs, however, it\u2019s bad news. Colossal addresses common misconceptions in the\u00a0video\u00a0below, noting dinosaurs cannot be revived due to DNA degradation, but more recent species are feasible.<\/p>\n\n<p>Colossal\u2019s official dire wolf page:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/colossal.com\/direwolf\/\">colossal.com\/direwolf<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pauljosephwatson.locals.com\/support\">Locals<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0check\u00a0out our unique\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/modernity.news\/shop\">merch<\/a>. Follow us on X\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/modernitynews\">@ModernityNews<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>      <span class=\"field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden\"><a title=\"View user profile.\" href=\"https:\/\/cms.zerohedge.com\/users\/tyler-durden\" lang=\"\" class=\"username\" xml:lang=\"\">Tyler Durden<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden\">Sat, 05\/09\/2026 &#8211; 11:40<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/inline_image_mobile\/public\/inline-images\/diremod.jpg?itok=g29qWNUe\" title=\"De-Extinct Dire Wolves Ready To Breed; Bioscience Company Pushes Forward Multiple Projects\" \/><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>De-Extinct Dire Wolves Ready To Breed; Bioscience Company Pushes Forward Multiple Projects Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, Colossal Biosciences has announced that its de-extinct dire wolves\u2014Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi\u2014are now breeding-aged and the firm plans to expand the pack later this year. The development marks a significant step for the Texas-based company in its&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=598852\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">De-Extinct Dire Wolves Ready To Breed; Bioscience Company Pushes Forward Multiple Projects<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":598853,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[17,22,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-598852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-border-security","category-immigration","category-immigration-reform","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=598852"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598852\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/598853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=598852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=598852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=598852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}