5 Thoughts About the “De-extinction” of Dire Wolves (By Jeff Oh and Jonas Lepp)

Introduction: So did scientists really bring back dire wolves?

So did scientists at Colossal Biosciences really bring back dire wolves? Bluntly put, no, they didn’t. What Colossal has been able to achieve is modifying gray wolf DNA in its embryonic state in order to resemble what they believed a dire wolf to be and mimic the qualities often attributed to it. To put it simply, the “dire wolves” presented by Colossal are in reality just gray wolf pups that have been genetically modified to be larger and sport white fur.

1. Okay, They Aren’t Dire Wolves, But This is Still a Big Leap [Jeff Oh]

With all this clarified, the work done by Colossal is still an incredible leap in the field of genetic engineering within mammals. We’ve seen many a Dolly the sheep in the last 30 years, but it has long been known that playing with genes in mammals is still primitive; past scientific forays into this field have often delivered debilitating or even fatal results for the animal involved.  However, not only has Colossal presented the most extreme successful display of gene splicing in mammals to date, all 3 pups modified by Colossal are reported to be “healthy and thriving.”

Additionally, the actual changes themselves are staggering. Though at root, all 3 pups are still just modified gray wolves, their gene editing has given them traits held by no other gray wolf pups in the world. In a sense, the scientists at Colossal, although not succeeding in the “de-extinction” of a species, have come closer than ever to making a new and unique synthetic species – one not made through generations of evolution, but rather manufactured in a laboratory by the hands of man.

2. Is It Right For Humans to Play God Like This? Could Dire Wolves Be Reintroduced? [Jeff Oh]

The idea of being close to an entirely synthetic species is, frankly, frightening. It feels like the start to some apocalyptic sci-fi movie where the director tries to hammer the point of not playing God as humans. However, there can be some potential benefits to creating new species or replicating old ones. 

Human development has long come at the expense of ecosystems around the world, and now, as a result, there are countless ecosystems left spiraling out of equilibrium as we encroach on their territories and resources. Although the best and only permanent solution to this problem is for us as humans to find a way to effectively coexist with nature, the introduction of synthetic species to fill niches necessary for ecological recovery would greatly benefit the recovery and health of certain ecosystems, where a potential keystone species may have been lost. 

An example of this would be in Australia, the former home to the now extinct Tasmanian tiger. Tasmanian tigers were apex predators in their ecosystem, meaning that their recent absence has given way for animals lower on the food chain to flourish in unhealthy numbers, leading to cascading devastation on the food web as well as the spread of diseases from unchecked prey organism populations. If a species were “created” that filled the niche of the absent Tasmanian tigers, the possibility of ecological equilibrium could be restored in Australian ecosystems.

Still, with all this being said, dire wolves have been extinct for 10,000 years. All the animals they formerly preyed on are now also extinct, leaving no niche for them to fill. The possible reintroduction of dire wolves would have to be carefully monitored and controlled, as in the modern context, they are now technically an invasive and potentially harmful species in any ecosystem they enter.

3. Dire Wolves Are Super Cool [Jeff Oh]

Yes, this is huge news in the field of genetic engineering, and yes, this is a potentially controversial step into reviving the prehistoric earth. But, MY main “thought” on this, as a person who loves animals, wasn’t a coherent and educated statement or takeaway – it was pure glee and excitement at the prospect of restoring such a fantabulous organism.

The dire wolf (Aenocyon Dirus) was the second largest member of the Canidae family (including but not limited to dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, etc.) to ever exist, only behind the hulking Epicyon (another species of an even more ancient Canid). The dire wolves inhabited the Americas and served as apex predators in their ecosystems, both hunting prey in packs as well as stealing and scavenging prey from other predators, such as the saber-toothed cat. The dire wolves were believed to have robust and powerful jaws, which they used to rip the flesh and even crush the bones of prey. This is particularly impressive considering the scale of their prey, with dire wolves often feeding on horses, bison, or giant ground sloths. They lived from the late Pleistocene to the early Holocene epochs (125,000 years ago to 10,000) and eventually died out, along with several other Pleistocene creatures, as a result of rapid climate change (Ice Ages) and human hunting/competition.

4. The Green Brothers Rock [Jonas Lepp]

As societies have grown and evolved, the manner in which people consume news has rapidly changed. A 2024 Pew Research Study shows that 86% of Americans get their news online, and misinformation is an escalating issue, with 40% of users “expressing concern” about inaccuracy. In light of this misinformation epidemic, we turned to a trusted source when researching this article: the Green brothers. Known for their YouTube educational videos from CrashCourse and SciShow, Hank and John Green are champions of high-quality educational content. However, in Hank’s initial video about dire wolves, and the 1st result to pop up under the search “dire wolves,” he makes a mistake. But, in an admirable display of academic integrity, he recognized and accepted his mistake, following up with a video addressing and correcting it.  

In today’s news landscape, we need more content creators like Hank and John Green –people who care about the message they are sending, people who believe in facts, truth, and science, and people who have empathy. This “dire wolf” breakthrough is a reminder that we need people with those qualities to remind us that we didn’t bring an extinct animal back from the dead (as many news sites reported) and inform us of the concrete facts.

5. Possibility of a Pleistocene Park [Jonas Lepp]

As previously addressed, dire wolves lack an ecological niche to fill in today’s world (despite how obviously cool they are). So, where does that leave them? One possibility is the creation of a Pleistocene Park – something akin to Jurassic Park – but for wooly mammoths and saber-tooth tigers instead of dinosaurs. In fact, the groundwork for this is already being laid today by a scientist named Sergey Zimov. In the Russian republic of Yakutia, the non-profit Pleistocene Park has secured a 160 km^2 area, with the intention of reintroducing mammoths to preserve permafrost.

I don’t think it would be an overreaction to say that a Pleistocene Park would have the capability to reverse global warming. Not only would these reserves be healthy ecosystems that support the sequestration of greenhouse gases like carbon and methane, but they would also emotionally appeal to people. As we know, humans are incredibly short-sighted and motivated by tangible things. To display majestic animals of the ancient past in their natural habitat, one that is increasingly disappearing, would be a tangible reminder that although humans can shape the world around us, the Earth doesn’t revolve around us. Parks can lead to an increased appreciation of ecology, past and present, which is of the utmost importance in laying the foundation for solving the climate crisis and moving into a sustainable future. A future not only for genetically modified grey wolves but for us too.