Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi facts for kids

Romulus and Remus are two special grey wolves. They were created by a company called Colossal Biosciences. They were born on October 1, 2024. The goal was to make them look like the dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus). Dire wolves are an ancient type of wolf that died out about 10,000 years ago.

Later, a female wolf named Khaleesi was born on January 30, 2025. Colossal Biosciences says these three wolves are the first living examples of dire wolves in a very long time. However, dire wolves were a completely different kind of wolf. So, Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi are actually grey wolves that have been genetically modified.

Scientists changed 14 important genes in grey wolf cells. This made the wolves show 20 traits that dire wolves had. This means no actual ancient dire wolf DNA was put into the grey wolf's genes. When their birth was announced in April 2025, many people were very interested.

How the Wolves Were Created

To create these "revived" dire wolves, scientists studied ancient DNA. They looked at samples from a 13,000-year-old tooth found in Ohio. They also used a 72,000-year-old ear bone from Idaho. Scientists at Colossal Biosciences found about twenty genetic changes that make dire wolves different from modern grey wolves.

The science team took special cells from grey wolf blood. Then, they used a tool called CRISPR gene editing. They changed 14 genes to show 20 traits. These traits include a larger body, a wider head, and a white coat.

These changed cells were then put into empty egg cells. These eggs grew into embryos in the lab. Out of 45 engineered eggs, three healthy embryos were put into surrogate mother dogs.

The surrogate mothers were domestic dog mixes. They were chosen because they were healthy and big enough for the larger wolf pups. One dog, named Skyla, was very important to the project. The pregnancies were checked weekly with ultrasounds. All three pups were born by planned caesarean section to keep them safe.

Characteristics and Growth

Romulus and Remus were born on October 1, 2024. They live in a safe, large preserve in the United States. This area is about 2,000-acre (810 ha) and has a 10-foot (3.0 m) fence around it. Their exact location is kept secret to protect them.

The preserve has a smaller 6-acre (2.4 ha) area. This area includes a vet clinic, a shelter for bad weather, and natural dens. Vets watch over Romulus and Remus all the time. The brothers were named after the famous twin brothers who founded Rome. In old stories, a she-wolf cared for them as babies. When they were pups, a picture was taken of them on the original Iron Throne prop from Game of Thrones.

Their food includes deer, beef, and horse meat. They also eat organ meats and special vitamins. When they were young, they ate pureed meat. Now, they get whole pieces of meat, which helps them practice natural tearing behaviors. The wolves have not been given live prey. Staff have not seen them interact with small animals that might enter their home.

Their genetic changes made them different from grey wolves. They have a white coat and special howls. Their bodies are larger, with strong shoulders. They have wider heads, bigger teeth and jaws, and more muscular legs.

From birth, the wolves acted like natural wolves. They started howling at about two weeks old. They also showed stalking and hunting behaviors. They are naturally careful around humans. Unlike pet dogs, they stay away from people, even their handlers. They act like wild wolves when people come near.

Based on some research, Colossal says dire wolves might have had pale coats. The pups' white coat comes from a gene found in dogs. This gene was chosen because the original gene might cause blindness or deafness.

By six months old, the male wolves were almost four feet (about 122 cm) long. They each weighed about 36.3 kg (80 lb). They are expected to grow to six feet (about 183 cm) long and 68 kg (150 lb) when they are fully grown.

Their sister Khaleesi was born on January 30, 2025. She was named after the Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen. The three wolves live together as a small pack.

Living Situation and Challenges

Even though the wolves get excellent care, their living situation is not exactly like a natural wolf home. Their limited space and small pack size are not the same as how wolves live in the wild. Wild wolves have large territories and bigger social groups.

Also, dire wolves were special hunters. They hunted very large animals from the Ice Age. These animals included huge mammoths, giant bison, and ancient horses. Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi cannot hunt these types of animals in their current home.

See also

In Spanish: Rómulo, Remo y Khaleesi para niños

• List of resurrected species
• Woolly mouse