Recreated dire wolves Romulus and Remus reach their first birthday

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Romulus and Remus, the ‘dire wolves’ revived from extinction, are celebrating turning one year old.

In April 2025, Colossal – a company specializing in bioscience and genetic engineering – announced its biggest achievement: three dire wolf pups that they said they had resurrected from extinction.

Dire wolves, famously featured in George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones books and the HBO television series, died out more than 12,500 years ago. They weren’t quite like today’s wolves-they were much bigger, with broad heads and strong jaws. They also had an incredibly powerful bite and teeth designed for breaking bones. Learn more about prehistoric canids.

In an amazing scientific achievement, researchers at Colossal have created the most accurate reconstruction of the dire wolf’s genetic code. They did this by analyzing DNA recovered from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull, both belonging to healthy young dire wolves.

Colossal’s dire wolves celebrate first birthday with pup-friendly cake

These scientists used gene editing to change the DNA of modern gray wolves, giving them features similar to those of dire wolves – including their large size, wide heads, and powerful, bone-crushing jaws.

Although it’s not quite like bringing a dinosaur back to life as in Jurassic Park, Colossal has successfully created something remarkably similar to a dire wolf. They achieved this by using the genetic material of its closest living relative, the grey wolf.

The unveiling of these three dire wolves sparked both admiration and debate among viewers. Now, a year later, two of them are joyfully celebrating their first birthdays with a big celebration hosted by Colossal.

The two boys, Romulus and Remus, were given names that fittingly honored the legendary twin founders of Rome. The story goes that they were raised by a she-wolf after being left as babies. Their younger sister, Khaleesi, was named after a title used for the Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen. It’s a nod to the popular show and character.

So, it was Colossal’s first birthday, and to celebrate, we teamed up with MISHKA Dog Boutique! They made this awesome cake for my two pups – seriously, it was gourmet! It wasn’t your typical sugar bomb, though. It was made with beef pate, agar-agar (which I guess is like a jelly thing), and vegetable juices. Yum! My dogs absolutely loved it, and it was so cool to see them enjoying something special on Colossal’s big day. Definitely a memorable treat!

(4/5)

— Colossal Biosciences® (@colossal) October 2, 2025

According to a recent announcement from Colossal, Romulus and Remus each weigh more than 120 pounds and currently consume over five pounds of meat daily. Their meals consist of a variety of options – including ground meat, larger pieces for stewing, and even entire carcasses like deer, cows, or whole rabbits. They also enjoy chewing on bones and eating small animals that are present in their habitat.

As a big fan of these amazing animals, I’m so glad to know the wolves have a fantastic home! They live on a preserve that’s over 2,000 acres, and there’s even a really special six-acre area inside it. This secure spot has everything they need – a vet clinic right on site, a facility for managing their care, a safe storm shelter, and even natural dens where the staff can give them extra close attention and study them. It’s wonderful knowing ten dedicated, full-time employees are there to look after them! You can learn more about their care here.

Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi are only the beginning of Colossal’s work with dire wolves; the company plans to eventually create a complete pack of 6 to 8 of these animals.

This isn’t the first impressive scientific feat Colossal has accomplished recently. They gained significant attention in March when they used gene-splicing technology to create a mouse with woolly mammoth fur. This demonstrates their continued success in advanced biotechnology.

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2025-10-02 23:50