Inside the Dire Wolf Sanctuary: How Colossal Biosciences Cares for the World's First De-Extinct Animals

The resurrection of the dire wolf by Colossal Biosciences represents not only a remarkable scientific achievement but also an unprecedented challenge in animal care. How do you properly house, monitor, and nurture a species that hasn’t walked the Earth for 12,000 years? Colossal Biosciences has developed comprehensive protocols and facilities specifically designed for this unique responsibility. Let’s look inside the sanctuary where Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—the world’s first de-extinct dire wolves—now live.

A Spacious and Secure Preserve

The dire wolf pups reside on what Colossal describes as a “2,000+ acre secure expansive ecological preserve.” This expansive territory provides the growing wolves with ample space to develop naturally while ensuring their safety and allowing for comprehensive monitoring.

The entire preserve is enclosed by 10-foot-tall, zoo-grade fencing with redundant perimeter security systems. This robust containment is designed not only to keep the wolves within the sanctuary but also to protect them from outside intrusions—an essential consideration for animals of such scientific and conservation significance.

Within this larger territory, the facility includes specialized engagement zones and different habitat types, allowing the wolves to experience varied environments that stimulate natural behaviors. The preserve also includes a smaller, six-acre secure site where the dire wolves can be further tended to and studied. This controlled area supports more intensive monitoring and care when needed.

American Humane Society Certification

Ensuring ethical treatment of these resurrected animals has been a priority for Colossal. The dire wolf preserve has received certification from the American Humane Society and is registered with the USDA, providing independent verification of the facility’s animal welfare standards.

Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., CEO of American Humane Society, offered a strong endorsement of Colossal’s approach: “Colossal has achieved American Humane Society Certification, the prestigious designation ensuring excellence in animal welfare and care. Optimal welfare is evidenced by spacious habitats with ample space and opportunity for animals to socialize, exercise, and exhibit natural behaviors. Staff are passionate, highly engaged and devoted to the animals in their care.”

This certification helps address potential ethical concerns about the treatment of de-extinct animals and establishes an important precedent for future de-extinction efforts.

Dedicated Care Team

Caring for the world’s only dire wolves requires specialized expertise. Colossal employs ten full-time animal care staff dedicated to supporting the wolves’ physical and mental well-being. This team includes veterinarians, animal behaviorists, and caretakers with experience in wolf management.

The presence of an on-site veterinary clinic ensures that the wolves receive prompt medical attention when needed. This facility is equipped to handle routine check-ups as well as any potential emergencies, with specialized equipment and expertise focused on canid health.

Beyond physical health, the care team also focuses on behavioral development and psychological well-being. As these are the first dire wolves in millennia, careful observation of their development and behavior provides valuable insights into the species’ natural tendencies.

Comprehensive Monitoring Systems

The wolves are continuously monitored through multiple technological systems. On-site live cameras provide real-time visual data, while security personnel maintain a physical presence to ensure the animals’ safety. Drone tracking offers an additional layer of surveillance, allowing observation of the wolves’ movements throughout the expansive preserve without human intrusion disturbing their natural behavior.

This multi-layered monitoring approach serves both security and scientific purposes. By observing how the wolves interact with their environment and each other, researchers can better understand dire wolf behavior and compare it with what’s known about modern wolf species. Colossal has mentioned an interactive “dire wolf development tracker,” suggesting they are systematically documenting the pups’ growth and behavioral milestones.

Natural Features and Enrichment

The preserve includes natural built dens for the wolves, mimicking the types of shelters dire wolves would have used in their original environment. These structures provide the animals with secure spaces for rest and protection from weather extremes.

Beyond the physical infrastructure, the preserve appears designed to offer natural enrichment opportunities. The different habitat zones likely include varied terrain, vegetation, and features that encourage natural behaviors like exploration, scent-marking, and potentially hunting or tracking activities as the wolves mature.

Early Behavioral Observations

Initial reports on the wolves’ behavior provide fascinating glimpses into their nature. Unlike domestic puppies, Romulus and Remus keep their distance from humans, flinching or retreating even from familiar caretakers. This demonstrates true wild lupine instincts despite being born into captivity—a promising sign that the genetic edits have successfully recreated not just the physical characteristics but also some of the natural behaviors of dire wolves.

At just six months old, the two male pups already weigh approximately 80 pounds, showcasing the robust build characteristic of their species. Their thick white fur, broad heads, and hefty builds physically distinguish them from modern wolves and align with what paleontologists believe dire wolves looked like based on fossil evidence.

Future Housing Plans

According to Colossal, the current conservation property will provide lifetime care, feeding, and protection for the wolves. The wolves will be monitored and observed to assess their readiness to potentially move into larger protected and managed care facilities.

Long term, Colossal has indicated plans to potentially restore the species in secure and expansive ecological preserves, possibly on indigenous land. This suggests a phased approach to the wolves’ management—beginning with intensive care and monitoring in the current facility, followed by potential expansion to larger territories as the population grows and demonstrates successful adaptation.

Educational and Scientific Access

While the primary focus remains on the wolves’ welfare, Colossal appears to be balancing protection with appropriate educational and scientific access. Select media representatives, like TIME magazine’s science editor Jeffrey Kluger, have been granted carefully managed visits to observe the wolves.

These controlled interactions serve important scientific documentation purposes while also helping communicate the significance of the de-extinction achievement to the broader public. The “dire wolf development tracker” mentioned by Colossal suggests a commitment to transparency about the wolves’ progress while maintaining necessary security.

Management Challenges of a De-Extinct Species

Caring for a de-extinct species presents unique challenges beyond those faced with endangered species reintroduction programs. There are no living dire wolf experts or established husbandry protocols for this specific species. The care team must adapt knowledge from related species like gray wolves while carefully documenting the unique needs and behaviors that emerge.

Questions that might seem straightforward for other species—appropriate diet, social dynamics, habitat preferences—require careful observation and adaptation when working with a de-extinct animal. Colossal’s comprehensive monitoring systems are likely gathering data that will establish the foundation for dire wolf husbandry standards.

Cultural and Spiritual Dimensions of Care

Beyond physical facilities, Colossal has engaged with indigenous communities whose ancestral knowledge offers valuable perspectives on responsible stewardship of these animals. Mark Fox, Tribal Chairman of the MHA Nation, highlighted the spiritual significance of the dire wolf’s return: “The dire wolf carries the echoes of our ancestors, their wisdom, and their connection to the wild. Its presence would remind us of our responsibility as stewards of the Earth—to protect not just the wolf, but the delicate balance of life itself.”

This indigenous perspective suggests that proper care for de-extinct animals extends beyond physical facilities to include cultural and spiritual dimensions of responsible stewardship. Colossal’s collaborative relationships with the MHA Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Karankawa Tribe of Texas, and other indigenous communities indicate recognition of these broader considerations.

Lessons for Future De-Extinction Efforts

The dire wolf care protocols established by Colossal will likely inform how future de-extinct species are managed. The company’s approach—combining expansive natural habitat, specialized care facilities, comprehensive monitoring, independent welfare certification, and engagement with cultural knowledge—establishes a potential model for responsible de-extinction stewardship.

As Rick McIntyre, one of the world’s foremost experts on wild wolf behavior and a Colossal Conservation Advisory Board Member, noted: “I have a dream that some time in the near future I can go back to Alaska, or a similar place in Northern Europe or Asia, and see those extinct species that have been brought back thanks to science.” This vision of restored ecosystems with de-extinct species will require carefully designed facilities and management protocols like those being pioneered with the dire wolves.

A Balance of Science and Ethics

Colossal’s approach to dire wolf care appears designed to balance multiple considerations: scientific research needs, animal welfare standards, security requirements, and cultural significance. The comprehensive facility design, professional staffing, and independent certification demonstrate recognition that successful de-extinction requires not just technological capability but also ethical stewardship.

As Dr. George Church, Harvard geneticist and Colossal co-founder, observed: “Preserving, expanding, and testing genetic diversity should be done well before important endangered animal species are lost.” The care infrastructure established for the dire wolves represents a physical manifestation of this conservation philosophy—creating a secure environment where revived genetic diversity can thrive.

The dire wolf sanctuary, with its extensive facilities and specialized care protocols, stands as a testament to the comprehensive approach required when bringing an extinct species back to life. It’s not enough to recreate the genetic code—successful de-extinction also requires creating appropriate physical and care environments where these remarkable animals can thrive.