Over 10,000 years ago, the dire wolf roamed the United States until the Quaternary extinction event wiped the species out of existence. On Monday, a team of scientists announced to the world that the dire wolf has been reintroduced to the planet, and they’ve got the pups to prove it.
Colossal Biosciences is a genetic engineering company that claims to have de-extincted the dire wolf. Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, three alleged dire wolf pups, were introduced this week.
Scientists at Colossal created the pups by editing the genome of a gray wolf to include characteristics of a dire wolf. The resulting embryos were placed inside surrogates.
“It’s a gray wolf clone with 20 dire-wolf gene edits, and with some dire wolf traits.”
Carl Zimmer
The science community has hit back hard on the revelation of the genetically created dire wolves. Regardless, Colossal has big plans and is working on reintroducing more extinct species back into the global population.
Colossal is the group behind the woolly mouse that was made public in March. Entertainment sportsbook sites have posted props that overwhelmingly favor the creation of a woolly mammoth.
What Will Be Brought Back From Extinction Next?
- Woolly Mammoth -500
- Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) +450
- Dodo +900
- Irish Elk +3000
- Sabre-Tooth Tiger +10000
- Tyrannosaurus Rex +10000
- Velociraptor +10000
- @Bovada
Woolly mammoths have been extinct for roughly 4,000 years, and the odds at Bovada suggest that it will be the next species to return. Colossal’s official website has pages dedicated to the revival efforts for the woolly mammoth, dodo bird, and thylacine (Tasmanian wolf/Tasmanian tiger).
However, entertainment prop bets at two other sportsbooks imply that the next de-extincted species will be the passenger pigeon.
Next Extinct Animal To Be Revived
- Passenger Pigeon +200
- Woolly Mammoth +250
- Tasmanian Tiger +300
- Giant Ground Sloth +300
- Moa / Dinornithidae +400
- Megalodon +600
- Saber-Toothed Tiger +700
- Irish Elk +800
- Carolina Parakeet +1200
- Pinta Island Tortoise +1200
- Quagga +1200
- Dodo +1400
- Golden Toad +2500
- @ BetUS
The last known passenger pigeon died on September 1, 1914. Once the most abundant bird on the planet, the species now serves as an example of humankind’s ability to negatively impact ecosystems.
An outfit by the name of Revive and Restore is working on bringing the passenger pigeon back, and the latest odds favor its reintroduction prior to the woolly mammoth.
Next Extinct Animal to be Revived
- Passenger Pigeon +200
- Woolly Mammoth +250
- Tasmanian Tiger +300
- Giant Ground Sloth +300
- Moa +400
- Megalodon +600
- Saber-Toothed Tiger +800
- Irish Elk +800
- Carolina Parakeet +1200
- Pinta Island Tortoise +1200
- Quagga +1200
- Dodo +1400
- Golden Toad +2500
- @ BetOnline
The moneyline odds also favor the potential for a Tasmanian tiger return. This striped wolf-like tiger used to live in Australia and the islands of Tasmania and New Guinea, and went extinct in 1936.
Sources:
Entertainment
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