In April 2025, news hit that a supposed dire wolf, a species that went extinct over 10,000 years ago, had been brought back from the dead. Lauded as an innovative approach to conservation by some politicians and scientific advisors, in reality, it poses serious conservation concerns and threats to present-day species facing extinction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the dire wolves really dire wolves?  
No. While the pups being promoted by Colossal Biosciences may display the physical characteristics of the extinct species, there was no ancient DNA used in their creation –genes of gray wolves were edited to produce features that the dire wolf may have possessed. 

Does “de-extinction” technology represent a viable tool to protect wildlife and our planet?
No. “De-extinction” research is diverting critical resources away from efforts to prevent the extinction of animals we have today, like the North Atlantic right whale, Red Wolf and monarch butterfly. Bringing back one long-extinct species can cost millions of dollars, critical resources that could go toward preventing and restoring more than 1,600 species already on the brink of extinction in the U.S. 

What would happen if dire wolves were released into the wild?
Given the current persecution of gray wolves in the U.S. today, it is especially risky to celebrate a new subspecies specifically engineered to have predator characteristics that were not intended for today’s environment. Dire wolf populations, if eventually released into the wild, would likely not succeed with the food source availability, lack of protected habitat, diseases and political threats of the present day.

Does Defenders support the use of genetic engineering to bring back species from extinction?  
No. Defenders of Wildlife believes that species recovery is only possible if the species can be successfully reintroduced to the wild and thrive. We will continue to fight for bedrock laws that prevent wildlife extinction, like the Endangered Species Act, so that iconic animals like the gray wolf can continue their recovery from near-extinction in North America.

Let’s protect the animals we have.

Read our official press statement here. 

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