Dire Wolf 'resurrected' after 10,000 years: How they differ from Gray Wolves

Scientists have made something unbelievable once again by reviving dire wolf, a species that went extinct nearly 12,500 years ago. They have made this possible through genetic engineering. 

The company behind their resurrection is Colossal Biosciences in Texas. The company announced that it created the dire wolf pups by using ancient DNA. The dire wolf became popular among people after HBO series 'Game of Thrones' mentioned about the extinct species in the show.

“Meet Romulus and Remus—the first animals ever resurrected from extinction. The dire wolf, lost to history over 10,000 years ago, has returned. Reborn on October 1, 2024, these remarkable pups were brought back to life using ancient DNA extracted from fossilized remains,” tweeted Colossal Bioscience.

Meet Romulus and Remus—the first animals ever resurrected from extinction. The dire wolf, lost to history over 10,000 years ago, has returned. Reborn on October 1, 2024, these remarkable pups were brought back to life using ancient DNA extracted from fossilized remains.

Watch… pic.twitter.com/XwPz0DFoP5

— Colossal Biosciences® (@colossal) April 7, 2025

What Makes Dire Wolf Different from Known Wolf Species

Bigger and Bulkier

Dire wolves (Canis dirus) were larger than today’s gray wolves (Canis lupus). They weighed up to 150 pounds (68 kg), while gray wolves usually weigh around 80–100 pounds (36–45 kg). Dire wolves had stronger jaws, a heavier build, and larger teeth, built for crushing bone.

Lived in a Different Time

Dire wolves lived during the Pleistocene Epoch (about 250,000 to 10,000 years ago). They went extinct around 10,000 years ago, likely due to climate change and loss of large prey after the Ice Age.

Actually the Same Species as Modern Wolves

Even though they look similar, recent DNA studies show dire wolves weren’t just “bigger” wolves. In fact, they were not closely related to gray wolves or coyotes. They belonged to a completely separate evolutionary branch and likely split off millions of years ago.

Behaviour Might Have Been Different

Because of their size and strong jaws, scientists believe dire wolves hunted larger prey like bison and even young mammoths. They might have also scavenged more than gray wolves do today.