Has the dire wolf come back to life? Here is what we know

This undated photo provided by Colossal Biosciences shows a young wolf that was genetically engineered with similarities to the extinct dire wolf [File: Colossal Biosciences via AP]

The dire wolf, a species that went extinct some 12,500 years ago but was made famous by the Game of Thrones series, has been brought back to life, according to Texas-based biotech firm Colossal Biosciences.

The company has described the dire wolf as the “world’s first successfully de-extinct animal”.

On Monday, the company announced that its research had led to the birth of three pups — Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi.

But the recently born wolves have DNA which is very close to that of the grey wolf, leading to criticism of the company’s claims.

So are Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi truly dire wolves? Here is what we know about them:

What is a dire wolf?

The dire wolf, the real-life inspiration behind the wolves in HBO’s Game of Thrones, was once a dominant predator across North America.

Fossils suggest that dire wolves were built for strength, not speed. They had more muscle and a heavier build than other ancient or modern wolves.

But despite their size, fossils show that the dire wolf could still move well through different environments, Colossal Biosciences said. It could hunt big animals and live alongside other species. Their powerful bodies made dire wolves strong predators.