The successful resurrection of the dire wolf by Colossal Biosciences has garnered headlines worldwide, but perhaps the most immediate and practical impact of this technological breakthrough lies in its application to an endangered species on the brink of disappearing forever: the red wolf.
Red Wolves on the Edge of Extinction
Currently listed as critically endangered, fewer than 20 red wolves (Canis rufus) remain in North America, making them the most endangered wolves on the planet. These wolves once roamed across most of eastern North America by the thousands, but by 1960, they were nearly extinct.
While the Endangered Species Act and a captive breeding program have been crucial to their survival, the red wolf population has continued to struggle. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Red Wolf Recovery Program initially grew the wild population to more than 120 wolves, but when the program was halted in 2015, the population crashed to as few as seven wolves. Though the program resumed in 2021, red wolves have struggled to regain their numbers.
The Genetic Bottleneck Problem
One of the most critical challenges facing red wolf conservation has been the limited genetic diversity resulting from the population bottleneck that occurred during their rapid decline. All red wolves in existence today descend from only 12 founder individuals, creating dangerous levels of inbreeding and genetic vulnerability.
This lack of genetic diversity hampers long-term survival prospects, leaving the species susceptible to diseases, reproductive problems, and reduced adaptability to environmental changes—a problem that has seemed insurmountable until now.
Technological Breakthrough: Non-Invasive Blood Cloning
Alongside their dire wolf announcement, Colossal revealed they have successfully produced two litters of cloned red wolves—one female (Hope) and three males (Blaze, Cinder, and Ash)—from a total of three different cell lines. This achievement utilized the same groundbreaking technology developed for the dire wolf resurrection.
Colossal generated these cell lines using their novel method of isolating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) following a standard blood draw—a significant advancement over previous invasive tissue sampling methods. The pups were born after somatic cell nuclear transfer into donor oocytes followed by embryogenesis and embryo transfer into surrogate mothers.
Dr. Bridgett vonHoldt, a Princeton Associate Professor of Evolutionary Genomics and Epigenetics, emphasized the significance: “We now have the technology that can edit DNA to increase resilience in species that are facing extinction or to revive extinct genetic diversity and species… I am beyond thrilled that such technologies are also being leveraged to support programs of preventing extinction in endangered species like the red wolf.”
A Biobanking Revolution for Conservation
The less-invasive blood cloning platform developed by Colossal represents a major advancement for conservation efforts globally. Rather than requiring surgical procedures to collect tissue samples, conservationists can now establish viable cell lines from routine blood draws performed during normal veterinary check-ups.
Matt James, Colossal’s Chief Animal Officer and Colossal Foundation Executive Director, highlighted this benefit: “The technologies developed on the path to the dire wolf are already opening up new opportunities to rescue critically endangered canids. The creation of less-invasive sampling tools such as our EPC blood cloning platform allows for the conservation community to ramp up biobanking efforts of those species on the brink.”
These isolated EPC cell lines can be frozen for later genomic analyses and, as Colossal has now demonstrated, can be used to successfully clone wild canids. This approach creates a genetic safety net, preserving genomic diversity that might otherwise be lost forever.
Expanding the Founder Population
Adding Colossal’s red wolves to the captive breeding population would increase the number of founding lineages by 25%, according to the company. This influx of genetic diversity could help reinvigorate the species’ recovery efforts.
Aurelia Skipwith, J.D., former Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, praised this potential: “The company’s work to combat extinction of the red wolf creates hope for so many other critically endangered species fighting for survival.”
The Red ‘Ghost’ Wolf Connection
Beyond cloning existing red wolves, Colossal’s technological advances are also supporting research into the red ‘ghost’ wolf—unique canids found only on the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana that carry lost DNA and biodiversity of the red wolf.
Researchers Dr. Bridgett vonHoldt of Princeton University and Dr. Kristin Brzesk of Michigan Technological University lead the Gulf Coast Canine Project, which aims to understand the genetic ancestry of these wild canines. With Colossal’s support, they have accelerated their research through:
- The inclusion of data from the red wolf genome
- The assembly of a reference genome for the recovery population’s red wolves
- The creation of a pangenome for U.S. native canids
This collaboration may unlock additional genetic diversity and red wolf ancestry that can be a resource to create a genetic rescue program for the red wolf population.
Path to Rewilding
Colossal’s long-term goal is for their red wolves to be rewilded through current U.S. conservation efforts in collaboration with the U.S. government. Research suggests that rewilding wolves can have significant positive impacts on factors that drive climate change and support biodiversity.
“Today’s dire wolf announcement represents an exciting scientific step and demonstrates the power and possibilities of genetic technologies,” said Barney Long, Ph.D., Senior Director of Conservation Strategy for Re
. “These technologies will likely transform the conservation of critically endangered species that still exist, and we are excited to apply them to prevent extinctions.”
A Collaborative Approach
The genetic rescue of the red wolf and innovative gray wolf conservation programs are being made possible through Colossal’s collaborative work with Indigenous communities, conservation organizations, and scientific experts. The company has engaged with the MHA Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Karankawa Tribe of Texas, and others whose ancestral knowledge has guided their efforts.
Conservation partners include the American Wolf Foundation, Re
, Conservation Nation, Gulf Coast Canid Project, International Coexistence Network, Wolf Connection, Grizzly Systems, and the Yellowstone Wolf Project.
Beyond Red Wolves: A Model for Other Species
The techniques being refined through the red wolf conservation efforts could serve as a model for other endangered species facing similar genetic bottlenecks. Colossal scientists are already working on projects like the pink pigeon—a bird species that, while not extinct, suffers from severe genetic limitations.
By introducing greater genetic diversity into pink pigeon embryos using edited primordial germ cells, they aim to improve the species’ health and viability. This approach could become a new paradigm in conservation biology: using genomic techniques to revive lost genetic variation and enhance the resilience of endangered wildlife.
Mike Phillips, Director of the Turner Endangered Species Fund, noted: “Perfecting genomic tools to integrate ‘ghost alleles’ from Gulf Coast canids would increase red wolf genetic diversity and generate knowledge for recovering other imperiled species, like the bolson tortoise, that are compromised by restricted ranges and reduced genetic diversity.”
The Future of Conservation
As Colossal continues to monitor and study both their dire wolves and red wolves, they plan to provide more information about these conservation efforts in the coming months. The company’s approach—combining cutting-edge genetic technology with traditional conservation methods and indigenous knowledge—may represent a transformative new chapter in humanity’s relationship with endangered species. In the words of Dan Flores, A. B. Hammond Professor Emeritus of the History of the American West at the University of Montana-Missoula: “An organization like Colossal, to me, is one of the things that gives me hope. If I were looking 100 years out, I would say that we’re very likely to have animals once again that we thought were always gone.”
