Spooky + Mysterious Aspects of Life: The Dire Wolf No Longer Extinct?

Hey there, DETECTIVES! DETECTIVE WRITER here to tell you all about scientists allegedly bringing back the extinct dire wolf.

The dire wolf, a canine species, went extinct over 13,000 years ago. It had white fur and skeletons found in North and South America.

The dire wolf was considered one of the strongest predators of the Ice Age, along with the saber-tooth tiger and bears. They stood at roughly 3 1/2 feet, weighed up to 150 pounds, and were longer than 6 feet. They were also considerably larger than today's gray wolves as the dire wolf had a bigger skull, thicker legs that had more muscle, bigger snouts, jaw, and teeth, and much more powerful shoulders.

A Dallas-based biotech and genetic engineering company, Colossal Biosciences, used genetic modification and cloning to birth three wolf pups. These pups were genetically engineered using DNA obtained from the dire wolf's fossilized remains, which included a 72,000-year-old ear bone and one 13,000-year-old tooth.

The company was able to extract the ancient DNA and edit the genetic code of gray wolves, which are very similar to the extinct animal for traits of the dire wolf to be replicated.

The pups have been cared for by three domestic dogs who also served as surrogate mothers who carried and gave birth to them. They are currently growing healthy and thriving each day. Reportedly the company is aiming to make many more creations and "Dextinct" other species, including the wooly mouse.

The pups are named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi and are maintained as a pack also known as a canine social group. They are usually fed beef, horse, deer, and organ meats with supplemented nutrients. They live at an undisclosed location to ensure their safety. They also have normal wolf tendencies such as howling, hunting, and being wary around humans. While the pups are not an exact copy of the dire wolf and are confirmed to be genetically engineered gray wolves, this advancement in science serves as a clear demonstration of how far growth can lead.

I hope you are intrigued by this storytime as much as I am, DETECTIVES! Please let me know in the comments if you want more storytime!

Have a great day, night, afternoon, or evening, DETECTIVES! Stay tuned for a future post; until then, keep on sleuthing, DETECTIVES!