"Please make a miniature pet..." Elon Musk wishes for this extinct species as his next pet after dire wolf cloning

Trending

+Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Elon Musk wants a pet woolly mammoth. This follows Colossal Biosciences’ success in cloning dire wolves. The firm previously resurrected the extinct species. Musk’s request sparked excitement and debate. Colossal is working on bringing back the woolly mammoth. They have made progress with woolly mice. Some scientists are skeptical about de-extinction. The company introduced a third dire wolf named Khaleesi.

Elon Musk, the business magnate, has recently made news with a peculiar request for a de-extinct pet. After biotech firm Colossal Biosciences successfully cloned dire wolves, Musk expressed his wish to get another extinct species as his new pet. His message created a surge of excitement and intrigue, as Colossal Biosciences proceeds to bring back extinct animals where Musk’s appeal indicates his interest in de-extinction species and the possibilities of genetic engineering in reviving ancient beings as contemporary pets.

Colossal Biosciences, the “de-extinction” firm that used to make front-page news resuscitating the dire wolf, has pulled off an impressive act by genetically manufacturing three wolves resembling the extinct species. These cloned wolves have generated interest among the scientific community and popular culture, with Musk even posting a Time Magazine cover that heralded the return of the dire wolf, striking out the word “extinct” to add “Remus,” one of the first cloned pups. The photo of these pups lying on the Game of Thrones’ Iron Throne gave a pop culture element to the moment and related it with the show’s depiction of dire wolves as the emblem of House Stark.

In a subsequent post, Musk clarified his own de-extinction wish: “Please make a miniature pet woolly mammoth.” Colossal Biosciences, established by Ben Lamm and George Church, had originally intended to bring back the woolly mammoth as part of their overall goal to develop species de-extinction. While the woolly mammoth has yet to be fully revived, significant progress has been made, including the breeding of woolly mice, which is seen as an important step in recreating the mammoth’s genetic traits.

Ben Lamm, CEO at Colossal, is thrilled by the developments, calling them, “The Colossal woolly mouse represents a tipping point in our de-extinction journey.” Having successfully used molecular engineering to install cold adaptation genes from the evolutionary history of the mammoth into a living surrogate species, Colossal has now demonstrated the ability to re-produce complicated gene combinations that occurred over millions of years through evolution. Scientists around the world are hailing the achievement, led by U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who described it as the beginning of a “thrilling new era of scientific wonder.”

But not all people are that enthusiastic. University at Buffalo biologist Vincent Lynch said the shortcomings of such initiatives, that whereas such projects might get animals to look like they resemble extinct ones, they will never bring the original animals back to life. “All you can do now is get something to look superficially like something else,” said Lynch, pouring cold water over species revival.

Colossal’s achievements are not limited to the woolly mammoth. In January 2025, the company introduced a third dire wolf named Khaleesi, joining Romulus and Remus as the first animals ever resurrected from extinction. These wolves, believed to have disappeared around 13,000 years ago, are part of Colossal’s larger efforts to revive species and reshape our understanding of extinction.

Musk’s tweet also sparked a frenzy of reactions among his followers, most of whom revealed their own desires for de-extinction, from a Jurassic Park in real life to revived mammoths as pets. Even Musk’s possible woolly mammoth got some names thrown its way, such as “Quark” courtesy of AI helper Grok. Others humored the possibility of reviving dinosaurs, as some user sarcastically said, “Velociraptors are the only real option.

The hype around Musk’s plea highlights the mass interest in the potential of genetic engineering and de-extinction. As scientists strive to revive such animals as the woolly mammoth and dire wolf, the debate is just starting, with excitement and skepticism defining the future of these pioneering initiatives.

Also Read | Watch: IShowSpeed’s jaw-dropping dance and backflip session with humanoid robot in China goes viral

TOI Tech Desk

The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk’s news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.Read More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply