Photo by Axios Austin
By Pen Richards
Publish Date: May 15, 2025
Tracing evolution lines back thousands of years, we see each piece of the puzzle come together to create the species we now know. This winter and past fall, Colossal Bioscience managed something that humans have only dreamed about for years: bringing back an ancient extinct species that features in many fantasy shows: the Dire Wolf.
“I have mixed opinions because of the chaos reintroducing this species could cause within the environment, but it can also help to teach people about the species,” Freshman Kayla Eubanks stated.
The Dire Wolf, also known as the Anocyon dirus, was a wolf species whose body was estimated to be 4.1 feet long. Many praise and admonish the company for reviving this species since the world has adapted to the loss of the species.
“It’s incredibly dangerous, as with the changes to the environment, they’d be considered an invasive species at this point,” accountant Deanna Walley said. “My nibling is in vet science, and they talk constantly about conservation of other species.”
Colossal Bioscience brought back the dire wolf under funding to fulfill a passion project. The funding received will also help the company with its conservation efforts for other species. Despite some disagreements over bringing back the species for a passion project, an agreement among those interviewed was that this effort was to be applauded.
“My child adores animals, and any company that works to conserve species and their environments is something they can get behind. Ethical concerns about the dire wolves, one can't put aside their conservation efforts,” teacher Kristen Richards expressed.