Native American Perspectives On Dire Wolf De-Extinction

When Colossal Biosciences announced the successful resurrection of the dire wolf after 12,500 years of extinction, most media coverage focused on the scientific breakthrough or the animal’s pop culture connections.

Less highlighted, but equally significant, is how this achievement interfaces with Indigenous perspectives and the growing partnerships between de-extinction science and Native American tribes.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

A Spiritual Reawakening

For many Indigenous communities, the return of an ancient species carries profound spiritual and cultural significance beyond the scientific achievement. Mark Fox, Tribal Chairman of the MHA Nation, articulated this perspective following the dire wolf announcement:

“The de-extinction of the dire wolf is more than a biological revival. Its birth symbolizes a reawakening—a return of an ancient spirit to the world,” Fox reflected. “The dire wolf carries the echoes of our ancestors, their wisdom, and their connection to the wild.”

This framing of de-extinction as spiritual reawakening rather than simply technological achievement represents an important counterpoint to purely scientific discussions.

Fox continued by connecting this perspective to broader environmental stewardship: “Its presence would remind us of our responsibility as stewards of the Earth—to protect not just the wolf, but the delicate balance of life itself.”

Building Indigenous Partnerships

Colossal Biosciences has made collaborative work with Indigenous communities a cornerstone of its approach to both the dire wolf project and other conservation initiatives. The company explicitly acknowledges the contributions of several tribal partners in its announcements:

“The effort to de-extinct the dire wolf, genetic rescue of the red wolf, and innovative gray wolf conservation programs are all made possible through Colossal’s collaborative work with a broad spectrum of Indigenous communities, conservation organizations, and scientific experts.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the MHA Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Karankawa Tribe of Texas, INDIGENOUS LED, and the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, whose ancestral knowledge and insights have guided our efforts.”

These partnerships represent a significant evolution in how scientific institutions engage with Indigenous communities—moving from extraction of knowledge or resources toward genuine collaboration that acknowledges the value of traditional ecological knowledge alongside Western scientific approaches.

Long-Term Vision: Rewilding On Indigenous Lands

Beyond the laboratory success of creating living dire wolves, Colossal’s long-term vision includes potential rewilding of these animals in collaboration with Indigenous communities. The company has stated that “long term, Colossal plans to restore the species in secure and expansive ecological preserves potentially on indigenous land.”

This approach recognizes both the historical connection between Native communities and North American predators, and the significant land base that tribal nations maintain—land that could potentially provide habitat for species reintroduction.

Fox emphasized the importance of this connection: “The work of the team at Colossal Biosciences is not only significant to our lands and people, but for conservation efforts across the globe.

The ability for technological innovation to bring forth something so culturally and spiritually significant to indigenous people is paralleled by the far reaching impacts that this technology provides for the future of stewardship on our planet in species diversity and conservation.”

Traditional Knowledge Meets Modern Science

The partnership between Indigenous communities and Colossal represents a broader bridging of traditional ecological knowledge with cutting-edge biotechnology. While these knowledge systems have often been treated as separate or even oppositional, the dire wolf project demonstrates how they can be complementary.

Indigenous understanding of wolves’ ecological and spiritual roles within North American ecosystems provides valuable context for scientific de-extinction efforts. Simultaneously, the genetic technologies developed by Colossal offer new tools to preserve and restore species that hold cultural significance for Indigenous communities.

The Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative’s involvement highlights how de-extinction technologies could eventually support broader wildlife restoration efforts important to tribal communities. Many tribes have already been leaders in wildlife reintroduction, particularly with species like bison that hold immense cultural significance.

Beyond Wolves: Broader Indigenous Conservation Partnerships

Colossal’s Indigenous partnerships extend beyond the dire wolf project to encompass broader conservation initiatives. The company has established relationships with multiple tribal nations and Indigenous-led organizations focused on wildlife and habitat conservation.

These collaborations represent a growing recognition within conservation science of the need to incorporate Indigenous perspectives and to address historical exclusion of Native communities from land management decisions.

As conservation increasingly adopts a holistic approach that acknowledges human cultural relationships with landscapes, Indigenous partnerships become not just ethically important but scientifically valuable.

“The ability for technological innovation to bring forth something so culturally and spiritually significant to indigenous people” that Fox referenced points to how de-extinction science can potentially serve goals beyond purely biological conservation—including cultural revitalization and the strengthening of traditional relationships with the natural world.

Addressing Historical Injustices

The development of meaningful partnerships between biotechnology companies and Indigenous communities must also navigate complex historical contexts. Native American communities have often had negative experiences with scientific research, from exploitative archaeological practices to controversial genetic studies.

Fox’s statement acknowledges this historical context when he notes that “my Celtic ancestors probably lived among those animals in northern Europe and may have had some role in contributing to their extinction.” This recognition of humanity’s role in past extinctions, including those that coincided with human arrival in North America,

By explicitly including Indigenous perspectives and leadership in their projects, Colossal provides a potential model for how scientific enterprises can address these historical injustices while working toward shared conservation goals.

Cultural Representation In De-extinction Narratives

Another significant aspect of Indigenous partnerships is how they influence the cultural narratives around de-extinction itself. While popular media often frames species resurrection through the lens of science fiction or technological prowess, Indigenous perspectives introduce themes of reciprocity, responsibility, and spiritual connection.

The naming of the dire wolf pups—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—draws primarily from Western and pop culture references. However, the broader project narrative increasingly incorporates Indigenous framing, as evidenced by Fox’s characterization of the dire wolf’s return as “a reawakening—a return of an ancient spirit to the world.”

This blending of narratives creates space for multiple cultural understandings of what de-extinction means and what values should guide it. Rather than positioning Indigenous perspectives as alternatives to scientific approaches, this inclusive framing treats them as complementary ways of understanding and valuing the same phenomena.

Looking Toward Future Collaborations

As Colossal continues its de-extinction work with other species, including plans to resurrect the woolly mammoth by 2028, Indigenous partnerships are likely to grow increasingly important. Mammoths, like dire wolves, inhabited landscapes with which Indigenous peoples have deep historical and cultural connections.

The success of the dire wolf project’s Indigenous collaborations may provide a template for future work—one that acknowledges both the scientific complexity of de-extinction and its profound cultural and spiritual dimensions.

By continuing to center Indigenous perspectives alongside scientific expertise, Colossal and similar enterprises can ensure that the revival of extinct species serves not only biological diversity but cultural and spiritual diversity as well.

In Fox’s words, these efforts represent not just scientific achievement but a reminder of “our responsibility as stewards of the Earth—to protect not just the wolf, but the delicate balance of life itself.” This holistic view of conservation, which sees biological diversity as inseparable from cultural wisdom and spiritual connection,