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The dire wolves that were brought back using breakthrough science are thriving, and Colossal Biosciences has shared an exciting update about the three young pups that sparked global fascination when they were first revealed last year.

These ancient creatures, once native to the Americas over 10,000 years ago, had long been thought extinct. But after being reimagined in pop culture thanks to the hit series Game of Thrones, which featured fantasy versions of dire wolves, they were brought to life again—at least in part—by Colossal, a biotech company based in Dallas.

Earlier this year, Colossal revealed that it had successfully extracted ancient DNA from two key sources: a 13,000-year-old tooth and a skull estimated to be 72,000 years old. Using this DNA, they edited the genetic code of modern grey wolves. This cutting-edge process, combined with domestic dogs used as surrogates, led to the birth of what they’re calling ‘healthy dire wolf puppies.’

Photos of the trio—Romulus, Remus, and their younger sister Khaleesi spread quickly across social media. While the buzz was huge, scientists stepped in to clarify that these pups aren’t truly dire wolves. Instead, they’re genetically modified grey wolves with 20 altered genes intended to recreate the traits of their ancient relatives.

Now, just a few months later, these genetically enhanced wolves have already doubled in size. Their rapid growth is turning heads. Matt James, Chief Animal Officer at Colossal, shared in a recent video that they’re now roughly “Today, Romulus and Remus, at a little over six months old, weigh a little more than 90 pounds, which is about 20% larger than a standard grey wolf.” “So we can really tell that the dire wolf genes are kicking in and we’re getting these nice large wolves that are much more representative of what we see in the ancient specimens.”

Romulus and Remus have doubled in size.YouTube/Colossal Biosciences
At only three months old, Khaleesi is still the baby of the group. She’s visibly smaller than her brothers, currently weighing in at about 35 pounds. Even at that weight, she’s already 15% to 20% bigger than a regular grey wolf pup at that age.

She hasn’t officially joined Romulus and Remus yet, though. The team is carefully observing their behavior to make sure the pack will get along smoothly.

“Before we make the introduction of bringing Khaleesi into the group with the boys, we’re going to be looking for really strong indicators that they are socially compatible.” “We’re really excited about that.”

In the meantime, Romulus and Remus are starting to show different personalities and taking on distinct roles within their little group. Their natural instincts are already forming what looks like a pack dynamic.

Paige McNickle, who is in charge of caring for the pups day-to-day, shared that Remus seems to be stepping into the alpha position. Romulus, on the other hand, appears to be more submissive.

“Remus really likes to watch things, and he figures stuff out.” “He’s also a little bit smaller, so sometimes that’s interesting to think that the smaller of the two would be the more dominant. But he’s crafty and he’s always watching.”

Interestingly, Romulus is usually the first to head outside when it’s time to eat or play. McNickle noted that this is a typical ‘beta trait’. However, the whole group dynamic could shift when Khaleesi finally joins her brothers. Everyone’s keeping a close eye to see how things unfold.

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