Scientists Furious: Company Claims It ‘De-Extincted’ Dire Wolves But They’re Just Fake

Gray Wolves and Dire Wolves Share 99.5% Identical DNA

Genome research shows that gray wolves and dire wolves share about 99.5% of their DNA (Current Biology). However, even the remaining 0.5%—millions of genetic differences—shaped everything from behavior to physiology. Scientists stress that small genetic changes can have huge effects, so replicating a dire wolf’s essence is far more complex than simply tweaking a handful of genes.