Colossal Bioscience says it has “de-extincted” the dire wolf, but other scientists disagree and say more important conservation science is being lost in all the hype

Thanks to the work from a Texas-based biotech and engineering company, the dire wolf is back. Learn all about the famous animal seen in ‘Game of Thrones.’

Three genetically engineered wolves that may resemble extinct dire wolves are trotting, sleeping and howling in an undisclosed, secure location in the U.S., according to the company that aims

Three genetically engineered wolves that may resemble extinct dire wolves are living in an undisclosed secure location in the U.S., according to researchers at Colossal Biosciences.

Dire wolves, made famous by “Game of Thrones,” went extinct some 13,000 years ago. Now, researchers have bred gray-wolf pups that carry genes of their ancient cousins.

The dire wolf is a relative of the now-common grey wolf, with clear differences apparent between the two species' skeletons. Based on the sequence of two new dire wolf genomes, the researchers at Colossal conclude that dire wolves formed a distinct branch within the canids over 2.

Unlike most fantasy creatures, dire wolves actually existed once upon a time. They patrolled North America hunting giant ground sloths, bison, and other megafauna until about the end of the last ice age.