WASHINGTON: Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—once gone from Earth—have been reborn. A company named Colossal Biosciences in Dallas claims to have revived the extinct dire wolf using genetic engineering.

The dire wolf (scientific name Aenocyon dirus) lived during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene eras. Known from shows like Game of Thrones, these predators were larger than modern wolves. The new animals are said to be genetically modified versions of grey wolves with some dire wolf traits, not exact clones.

Romulus and Remus were born on October 1, 2024, while Khaleesi arrived in January 2025. They live in a secure 2,000-acre facility in the northern U.S. Their diet includes beef and horse meat. Domestic dogs served as surrogate mothers, with births via caesarean section.

Scientists studied fossils like a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old bone to reconstruct the dire wolf’s DNA. They edited grey wolf genes to match ancient blueprints and implanted embryos into dogs. The process involved rewriting modern wolf DNA rather than cloning. Colossal aims to pioneer species revival through this technology.