Dire wolves: A Christian ethic on de-extinction and cloning

Colossal Biosciences, a genetic engineering company, went public on Monday with the news that it has successfully revived the dire wolf, a species believed to have been extinct for thousands of years. Ben Lamm, the founder and CEO of Colossal, appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience to provide an in-depth analysis of Colossal’s work and the specifics of the dire wolf project.

The dire wolf, popularized by the fantasy series, Game of Thrones, was an actual apex predator in the ancient Americas. (For some fun thoughts on dire wolves, I suggest listening to the last two minutes of this week’s Culture Brief podcast.)

Colossal was able to access DNA from dire wolf fossils, integrate it with the DNA of a close ancestor, the grey wolf, place embryos in the womb of a domestic dog, and produce three wolves that they believe fit the dire wolf speciation. They selected the unique traits of dire wolves, such as the dog’s size and fur color, making it distinct from other wolves.

Some critics and scientists have argued that these are not actually dire wolves, but rather “designer” grey wolves. Lamm speaks to this in the podcast, and makes the case that scientists disagree on what makes a species a species, saying speciation is “a human construct” and “nature flows more like a river than a rock.” 

Others have embraced the dire wolves as groundbreaking for scientific advancement and cultural innovation. U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Doug Bergum, for example, responded, “The dire wolf revival is more than a scientific triumph, it carries profound cultural significance as it embodies strength and courage that is deeply encoded within the DNA of American identity and tribal heritage.”

What is the purpose?

Many of the critics have questioned the motives of Colossal in their genetic engineering efforts. Dire wolves are just the beginning of Colossal’s plans, which appear to focus on two key avenues. First, they desire to decrease the endangered species list, starting with North Carolina’s red wolf, of which just 20 remain in the wild. Colossal has already cloned 4 hybrid red wolves in hopes of gaining political support to introduce these dogs into the wild, re-balancing the ecosystem.

Second, and more fascinating to the public, Colossal is in the science of de-extinction. However, they don’t plan to end with the dire wolf. They are also working diligently to revive the thylacine—also known as the Tasmanian tiger—an apex predator that went extinct nearly a century ago. Its extinction has had significant downstream implications that have harmed the ecosystem in Tasmania.

While they are working on various projects, the one Lamm seems most enthralled with is the revival of the wooly mammoth, a widely recognizable and beloved Ice Age beast. The hope is that the mammoths will become a source of stability and control in the arctic climate, as they once were. The research on the wooly mammoth project could also influence efforts with endangered elephant species and have other environmental impacts.

Currently, the three dire wolves live on a 2,000-acre preserve. Colossal has not yet rewilded any of its animals into a proper ecosystem and argues that conservation is at the center of its work, even if by non-traditional means. 

Many scientists, however, are trying to reckon with the potential outcomes, which are not universally positive.

Where does this science end?

The great concern with any genetic research is its inevitable conclusion: humans. Lamm is adamant that Colossal will not touch humans with a ten-foot pole, but he also admits that the technology exists, so someone else will. 

While there is no evidence of any lab cloning, or attempting to clone humans, significant gene-editing advancements have already taken place. Two girls in China were born in 2018 after a researcher successfully manipulated their genome to resist HIV. Perhaps this is the first step toward “designer” babies.

Genetically engineering humans remains taboo globally, but as the science continues to advance, it seems unlikely that there will be a universal stopping point with animals. Lamm, in his interview with Rogan, expressed his desire to “separate philosophical arguments from science.” He went on to express his disdain for the way that ideological and religious conversations hold them back, despite having grants, donors, and government endorsement for their work. 

One can quite easily come to the logical conclusion that taking philosophical arguments out of the biotech industry research is a fast track to human genome editing and cloning.

How should Christians respond?

As Christ-followers, the whole conversation around editing biology should give us pause. While it may not be inherently sinful to splice animal genes or clone wolves, it should remind us of a devastating biblical principle: God is a God of order (1 Cor. 14:33), and humans, depraved in sin, are very good at disrupting God’s created order, creating chaos instead (Rom. 1:18-32). This exact principle is how we have come to a place of environmental imbalance in many ecosystems. 

Humans “play God” in overhunting animals to extinction, and reject the cultural mandate to have dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:28-31; 2:15) in their slow destruction of ecosystems. But does this justify Colossal’s work, which is effectively another form of “playing God” by disrupting his created order? The unintended consequences may not be visible yet, but human history has taught us that there will almost certainly be some.

Humans have inserted themselves into the manipulation of crops through genetic modification for decades, and there is little ethical concern. There are, however, clear health concerns.

Genetically modified fruits and vegetables often do not carry the same health benefits as their natural predecessor and can also come with legitimate risks. Why would our efforts with animals be any different?

Ethically, a line does have to be drawn at some point. Would it not be safest to draw this line well before the research on humans becomes the norm? It would not be surprising for the human genome debate to take center stage in Christian circles over the next several decades. It is best to know where we stand and get rooted there now. 

God made man in his own image (Gen. 1:26-27)—including those with disabilities and diseases—and he has used all types of people for his glory. If it becomes normative, human gene editing will represent yet another human “advancement” away from the natural order God created.