Recreated dire wolves Romulus and Remus mark first birthday at Colossal’s Texas preserve
HBO
Romulus and Remus, two recreated dire wolves from Colossal Biosciences, have celebrated their first birthday, marking a significant milestone for the de-extinction project.
The pups were introduced in April 2025, when Colossal announced it had produced three wolves with traits closely resembling the long-extinct dire wolf.
The species, best known for its appearance in George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones and its HBO adaptation, has been extinct for more than 12,500 years. Known for their large size, broad heads, and bone-crushing bite force, dire wolves differed significantly from modern grey wolves.
Using DNA recovered from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull, Colossal scientists reconstructed the genome and applied gene-editing techniques to modify grey wolf DNA. While not a complete resurrection, the resulting wolves possess several defining characteristics of their ancient counterparts.
The first litter included three pups, named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi. A year later, Romulus and Remus were celebrated with a pup-friendly gourmet cake created by MISHKA Dog Boutique. The cake was made from beef pâté, agar-agar, and vegetable juices.
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According to Colossal, the wolves each weigh more than 120 pounds and consume over five pounds of meat daily, ranging from ground and stewed cuts to carcass portions of deer, cattle, or rabbits. Their diet also includes bones and small game within their enclosure.
The animals are housed in a 2,000-acre ecological preserve featuring a six-acre secure area with veterinary facilities, wolf dens, and staff accommodation. They are currently cared for by ten full-time employees.
Colossal has stated that its long-term goal is to establish a full pack of six to eight dire wolves. The company has also undertaken other genetic projects, including a viral demonstration in March 2025, where it created a mouse with fur from a woolly mammoth.