Back from the Dead
How Reviving Extinct Animals Might Save Our Planet
When we hear about scientists bringing back extinct animals, it sounds like science fiction. But the recent news of three dire wolf pups born through genetic engineering by Colossal Biosciences is not only real—it’s part of a much bigger and more important story.
Colossal Biosciences is a Texas-based biotech company that's working to “de-extinct” lost species. While that might sound like a flashy science experiment, the motivations behind their work go much deeper. I don’t claim to know all the details of what the company is working on, but two particular projects have caught my interest—and believe it or not, one of them may even hold answers to some of the world’s biggest environmental problems. These two are the revival of the Tasmanian tiger and the woolly mammoth.
I should say up front: I’m not a biologist or expert in this field. This is simply something I find deeply fascinating. If someone with more knowledge spots something I’ve misunderstood or could have put better—I’d truly welcome your input.
Why Bring Back a Dire Wolf?
Let’s start with the dire wolf. This ancient species roamed North America more than 10,000 years ago. Unlike the ones from Game of Thrones, real dire wolves were slightly larger than today’s gray wolves. Colossal’s recently born pups are genetically engineered to include some of those ancient traits.
Some critics argue they aren’t “true” dire wolves—more like enhanced gray wolves—but even so, these animals represent something new: a chance to restore lost balance in ecosystems by reintroducing predators that once shaped the land.
But What Do Dire Wolves Really Offer?
The idea of dire wolves certainly captures the imagination—thanks in no small part to fantasy fiction—but their ecological value is less clear. Fossil evidence shows dire wolves (Canis dirus) were larger, more muscular, and had stronger jaws than modern wolves. But ecologically, they may have filled a very similar role.
They hunted large herbivores, kept prey populations in check, and likely influenced the landscape in similar ways to today’s wolves. Genetic studies also show they were more distantly related to gray wolves than we used to think—so they weren’t just a bigger version, but a cousin species entirely. This makes the challenge of reviving them scientifically fascinating, even if the ecological impact is less certain.
In the end, dire wolves may not be the ecological game-changer. But they serve another purpose: they get people talking. Their mythic status and primal appeal help bring attention to the science of de-extinction—opening the door to deeper, more meaningful efforts, like the ones I mentioned above here, focused on the Tasmanian tiger and woolly mammoth.
Trophic Cascades
Before we dive into those projects, it’s worth asking: can bringing a species back really change anything? Or is it just “cool science”? One of the best examples we have comes from Yellowstone National Park in the United States.
When wolves were reintroduced there in the 1990s, it didn’t just reduce the number of elk and deer. It changed how they behaved. Before the wolves returned, these herbivores grazed freely along riverbanks and open valleys, staying put without fear, grazing plants to the ground. But with wolves back, they changed their behaviour. They started avoided those exposed areas and did not stay in one place very long. This in turn gave trees like willow and aspen a chance to grow again.
This set off a chain reaction. Birds returned. Beavers came back and built dams. The rivers even changed course as the new vegetation stabilised their banks. This incredible transformation—sparked by the return of just one predator—is known as a trophic cascade: when a top predator reshapes an entire ecosystem by influencing the behaviour and population of other species.
So, the idea that one animal’s return can help repair an entire landscape? It’s not just theory. It’s happened.
The Tasmanian Tiger and Ecosystem Repair
One of the most compelling projects Colossal is working on is the revival of the Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine. This fascinating marsupial predator once roamed Tasmania and parts of Australia, but was hunted to extinction by the 1930s—largely due to human fear and misunderstanding. Since then, its absence has created imbalances in local ecosystems. Certain prey animals, including invasive species, have become overpopulated, putting stress on native flora and fauna.
Reviving the thylacine isn’t just about correcting a historical wrong—and bringing back a really cool animal, it’s about restoring a role in the ecosystem that no other species has quite filled. And it’s not as simple as just introducing another predator. Predators and prey evolve together over long periods of time. Drop in a species like the red fox or feral cat—both of which have been introduced to Australia—and the damage can be worse. Native animals aren’t equipped to deal with these unfamiliar threats.
The thylacine, on the other hand, was part of the natural balance. Its reintroduction could offer a more stable and sustainable way to restore ecological health.
Woolly Mammoths and Climate Change
Perhaps the boldest idea on Colossal’s agenda is bringing back the woolly mammoth—or at least creating a cold-resistant elephant with mammoth traits. These ancient giants once roamed the tundra, helping maintain vast Arctic grasslands. When they disappeared, forests started to spread into areas that used to be open plains. And with those forests came faster thawing of permafrost—the frozen ground that locks in enormous amounts of carbon.
Here’s the issue: when permafrost thaws, it releases greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide. These emissions accelerate global warming. But scientists believe that if we could restore the tundra’s original grassland state, we could slow that process.
Mammoth-like creatures could help by trampling snow, crushing young trees, and fertilising the soil—essentially re-engineering the landscape to keep the permafrost intact. Grasslands reflect more sunlight than forests and store more carbon in the soil. It’s a wild idea, but it’s grounded in serious climate science.
If successful, this approach could buy us more time in the fight against climate change—and teach us more about how humans can work with nature rather than just against it.
More Than Just Cool Science
Yes, the idea of seeing animals we thought were gone forever is thrilling. But the real goal here isn’t spectacle—it’s restoration. It’s about healing broken ecosystems, slowing down climate change, and learning to respect the incredibly complex systems that keep our planet alive.
Some critics say this is a distraction from the real work of reducing emissions and ending pollution. But it doesn’t have to be either/or. The fight against climate change will require a wide range of tools—some old, some new, and some that might look like they came straight out of a sci-fi movie.
And in trying to bring back what we lost, we might just learn how to better care for what we still have.
A Note from the Author
While my main focus these days is on the ongoing situation in Palestine and its historical background, along with the political developments in Pakistan, I’m also deeply interested in issues related to climate change and other global challenges. These topics will naturally find their way into my writing from time to time, as they are all interconnected in the bigger picture.