Colossal Biosciences, a company specializing in de-extinction has successfully brought back the dire wolf, a species that had been extinct for over 12,500 years.
The dire wolf, often associated with the Game of Thrones series was a real animal that lived in America.
This milestone marks the birth of the first-ever successfully de-extincted animal which is three dire wolf pups.
In addition to the successful de-extinction of the dire wolf, Colossal Biosciences has also cloned red wolves, the most critically endangered wolf species on Earth.
The company used a new, non-invasive blood cloning technique to achieve this historic milestone.
Colossal Biosciences, after previously creating a woolly mouse with 8 precision genetic edits has now achieved significant scientific breakthrough by performing 20 genetic edits on dire wolves.
CEO of Colossal Ben Lamm said in a press release, “I could not be more proud of the team. This massive milestone is the first of many coming examples demonstrating that our end-to-end de-extinction technology stack works,” as per USA Today.
Lamm added, “Our team took DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies.”
Related: 100-year-old tortoise becomes first-time mom, welcomes four babies
The three litters of dire wolves born by Colossal Biosciences consist of two male adolescents named Romulus and Remus and one female puppy named Khaleesi.
While, among the red wolves, there is one female adolescent named Hope and three male puppies named Blaze, Cinder and Ash.
Related: Hawk horror ends: Residents capture aggressive bird after weeks of terror
