Return of the Dire Wolf

[Gloxina]

Credit - Robert Clark for TIME

Romulus and Remus are doing what puppies do: chasing, tussling, nipping, nuzzling. But there’s something very un-puppylike about the snowy white 6-month olds—their size, for starters. At their young age they already measure nearly 4 ft. long, tip the scales at 80 lb., and could grow to 6 ft. and 150 lb. Then there’s their behavior: the angelic exuberance puppies exhibit in the presence of humans—trotting up for hugs, belly rubs, kisses—is completely absent. They keep their distance, retreating if a person approaches. Even one of the handlers who raised them from birth can get only so close before Romulus and Remus flinch and retreat. This isn’t domestic canine behavior, this is wild lupine behavior: the pups are wolves. Not only that, they’re dire wolves—which means they have cause to be lonely.


The dire wolf once roamed an American range that extended as far south as Venezuela and as far north as Canada, but not a single one has been seen in over 10,000 years, when the species went extinct. Plenty of dire wolf remains have been discovered across the Americas, however, and that presented an opportunity for a company named Colossal Biosciences.

Photograph by Robert Clark for TIME
Relying on deft genetic engineering and ancient, preserved DNA, Colossal scientists deciphered the dire wolf genome, rewrote the genetic code of the common gray wolf to match it, and, using domestic dogs as surrogate mothers, brought Romulus, Remus, and their sister, 2-month-old Khaleesi, into the world during three separate births last fall and this winter—effectively for the first time de-extincting a line of beasts whose live gene pool long ago vanished. TIME met the males (Khaleesi was not present due to her young age) at a fenced field in a U.S. wildlife facility in March, on the condition that their location remain a secret to protect the animals from prying eyes.



The Return of the Dire Wolf

House Stark

 

[Neuromancer]

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

Oh shyt, that’s fukkin amazing! If that Pleistocene Park idea in Siberia becomes reality I’d fukkin go to that shyt. Bring back all the Ice Age animals in a bid to stop global warming that shyt would benefit all of us fr.

 

[Kingshango]

On one hand: fukkin incredible.

On the other hand:

 

[Gloxina]

I want one

 

[King Harlem]

Winter (economic or nuclear) is coming.

 

[Peter Parker]

This nikka Sauron gonna pop up any day now I swear

 

[Gloxina]

On one hand: fukkin incredible.

On the other hand:

I was literally thinking about Jurassic Park


They’re going to escape and kill anyone they encounter

 

[tuckgod]

If you wasn’t a girl I’d try to fight you do not play with my emotions like this

 

[Elle Seven]

Chile, I came in here thinking HBO decided to do that show about the first Long Night after all.

 

[Paper Boi]

jurassic park

 

[Luke Cage]

On one hand: fukkin incredible.

On the other hand:

exactly what came to mind for me.

But realistically, we don't have to worry about some extinct creature killing us. they drop to bullets just easily as any thing living now.

One actual concern would be the effect on the ecosystem though. they kill all the deer and eat all the farmers crops, shyt like could affect our lives more negatively than a dangerous extinct animal killing us. but obviously a movie along that line would be more boring

 

[RamsayBolton]

Relying on deft genetic engineering and ancient, preserved DNA, Colossal scientists deciphered the dire wolf genome, rewrote the genetic code of the common gray wolf to match it, and, using domestic dogs as surrogate mothers, brought Romulus, Remus, and their sister, 2-month-old Khaleesi,

Revive dire wolves from the dead, give them white fur, pick a name from game of thrones, and choose Khaleesi instead of Ghost.

This wont get far cause these scientists are clearly morons

 

[Gloxina]

Chile, I came in here thinking HBO decided to do that show about the first Long Night after all.

I’d be on my knees crying if that were the case

 

[tuckgod]

Chile, I came in here thinking HBO decided to do that show about the first Long Night after all.

Can you fight her for me please sis

I trusted her