Three snowy white wolves, Khaleesi, Romulus and Remus, made global headlines when the biotechnology company claimed they were the world's first
de-extincted dire wolves (
Aenocyon dirus), brought back after over 10,000 years of extinction. Researchers were quick to
criticize the claim as misleading, noting that the wolves were simply genetically modified gray wolves (
Canis lupus).
In a new interview, Colossal's chief science officer
Beth Shapiro has confirmed that the "dire wolves" are indeed just gray wolves with 20 modified genes.