Colossal Labs founder Ben Lamm recently provided an intriguing update on the company’s ambitious efforts to resurrect the dire wolf, an ancient species extinct for over 10,000 years. Speaking at SXSW’s London debut, Lamm shared that Colossal’s genetically revived dire wolves started howling as early as three weeks of age, responding actively to sounds such as human singing and owl calls. Two of the first specimens, named Romulus and Remus, have now reached roughly six months old and are maturing rapidly, exhibiting behavior closer to their extinct ancestors.
According to Lamm, these wolves reside in a tightly controlled 2,000-acre preserve at an undisclosed location, described as “very Yellowstone-like.” This secure compound includes full-time caretakers, veterinary facilities, and continuous security to ensure the wolves’ safety and proper development. There, they have already begun basic predation activities, an important early step toward natural wolf-like behaviors and survival skills.
Lamm also discussed Colossal’s latest groundbreaking initiative: a comprehensive bio-acoustic analysis of dire wolf vocalizations. He explained that each dire wolf howl carries distinct pitch and inflection patterns. The company’s researchers plan to map these acoustic signatures, with public release of their findings expected later this year. Advanced artificial intelligence technologies are being used to study and interpret these vocalizations, identifying emotional states and underlying communication patterns—what Lamm described as exploring “wolf linguistics.”
In addition, Lamm revealed that Romulus and Remus will soon meet another newly created dire wolf named Khalessi, a three-month-old female, furthering the company’s efforts toward establishing genetically revived wolf groups with natural social dynamics.
The conversation also briefly touched upon skepticism surrounding Colossal’s methods. Critics argue these revived dire wolves are just genetically modified gray wolves, questioning whether this technically represents true species revival.
Still, the project has attracted immense interest from high-profile investors. Colossal recently raised $200 million in its Series C funding, achieving a remarkable valuation of $10.2 billion. The financing is fueling not just efforts to resurrect dire wolves, but also ambitious projects aimed at bringing back other extinct animals, such as the Tasmanian tiger and the dodo bird. As recently as March, the company notably succeeded in genetically modifying mice to grow thick mammoth-like fur—an achievement they completed impressively in only one month.
When asked by actress Sophie Turner, who joined him onstage, about potential dinosaur revivals, Lamm noted that such an endeavor would be particularly challenging and isn’t currently a focus. However, he hinted at an intriguing development with Colossal’s work on the dodo bird, suggesting a major announcement might emerge this summer.
