Dire wolves from ‘Game Of Thrones’ have been brought back from extinction

The dire wolf, the emblem of House Stark in Game Of Thrones, has been brought back from extinction in a startling scientific achievement.

The species died out approximately 10,000 years ago but re-entered the popular imagination in recent times thanks to George R.R. Martin selecting the animals as the sigil for the Stark family in his epic fantasy series.

On Monday (April 7), the genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences announced that they had successfully brought the dire wolf back to life by extracting DNA from two fossils and combining them with 20 edits of the genetic code of the gray wolf, the species’ closest living relative.

The company says it has managed to birth three dire wolf pups, two males named Romulus and Remus, after the mythological twin founders of Rome, and a female named Khaleesi, in reference to the title held by the Game Of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen.

SOUND ON. You’re hearing the first howl of a dire wolf in over 10,000 years. Meet Romulus and Remus—the world’s first de-extinct animals, born on October 1, 2024.

The dire wolf has been extinct for over 10,000 years. These two wolves were brought back from extinction using… pic.twitter.com/wY4rdOVFRH

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

In an intriguing added detail, The Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson loaned the fantasy show’s Iron Throne prop – which he bought at auction for $1.49million last year – to Colossal Biosciences for a photoshoot featuring Romulus and Remus. Jackson is also a significant investor in the company.

Furthermore, Game Of Thrones author Martin collaborated with Colossal as a cultural adviser and investor, further intertwining the show’s legacy with the scientific breakthrough.

“Many people view dire wolves as mythical creatures that only exist in a fantasy world, but in reality, they have a rich history of contributing to the American ecosystem,” Martin said about the news.

Colossal CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm has said: “Our team took DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies. It was once said, ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ Today, our team gets to unveil some of the magic they are working on and its broader impact on conservation.”

Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi are now living in a 2000-acre enclosed preserve at an undisclosed location. They are expected to grow to an adult weight of 130 to 150 pounds, significantly larger than the gray wolf.

Colossal was founded in 2021 and has also said it has intentions to bring back the woolly mammoth, the Tasmanian tiger and the dodo. It also plans to fully restore the dire wolf as a viable species in its indigenous land in North America.

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