dire wolf siblings Romulus and Remus Hit New Pack Milestones as Trio Matures
Two of the first modern-era dire wolves have advanced out of the puppy phase and are testing life as a developing pack on a Texas preserve. Born Oct. 1, 2024 (ET), Romulus and Remus are roughly 16 months old and are now living with a younger female companion, Khaleesi, who was born in January 2025 (ET). Care teams say the animals are showing clear physical and behavioral shifts as they refine hunting, social bonds and the instincts that distinguish wild canids from domestic dogs.
Growing up on the preserve: size, diet and milestones
Romulus and Remus continue to fill out but are not expected to reach full physical maturity until about age three. Staff note distinct body types emerging: Romulus is broader and stockier, while Remus carries a taller, lankier frame. Those differences are already affecting how each male moves and interacts with the landscape and with one another.
Recent husbandry steps marked notable progress. The pair were allowed to feed on a deer carcass for the first time, a controlled progression from earlier practice hunts and smaller prey captures. Care teams say the animals have been taking rodents and rabbits that enter their enclosure and that pursuit skills are developing quickly. The wolves are effective at chasing down prey but are still refining the killing techniques that adult predators display.
The preserve spans more than 2, 000 acres, offering room for the animals to hunt and exercise natural behaviors while remaining under managed oversight. Bringing multiple individuals together is part of a planned effort to observe natural pack dynamics in a semi-natural setting; the three have been observed playing, testing hierarchies and building the social ties common to wild canids.
Behavioral notes, safety and what comes next
Handlers emphasize that while the dire wolves are calm around familiar caretakers, they do not behave like household dogs. Daily routines and feeding create tolerance for human presence, but the animals retain strong predatory instincts. The manager of animal husbandry noted that sudden movement in the enclosure would likely trigger pursuit and a rapid predatory response; in one remark, she said that if the males saw someone running in their space they would view that person as prey and act quickly.
That combination of trust and wild instinct shapes every aspect of care: strict protocols for interactions, controlled social introductions and staged feeding events designed to encourage natural hunting behaviors without compromising human safety. Staff stress that these animals are large wild canids and must be managed accordingly.
Looking ahead, teams plan to continue close monitoring of Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi as they mature. More pups are already in development as part of a longer-term plan to establish a self-sustaining breeding population and expand the group under managed conditions. Observers will track growth, hunting proficiency and social structure as the animals move toward adulthood, both for welfare reasons and to better understand how a reconstructed or closely related extinct species behaves in larger, semi-natural habitats.
Their existence also prompts wider questions about the role of de-extinction technology in conservation and ecosystem management. Reviving a species raises scientific possibilities and ethical considerations that caretakers and researchers say will require cautious, measured steps going forward. For now, the priority remains responsible husbandry: measured feeding, rigorous safety protocols and steady observation as the pack learns to live together in the preserve environment.
