Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Dallas, announced it has successfully brought back the dire wolf through the birth of three pups, marking what the company claims is the first "de-extinction" of a species that disappeared over 10,000 years ago.

The company, which has been valued at $10.2 billion after raising hundreds of millions in funding, has attracted investment from high-profile backers including golfer Tiger Woods and socialite Paris Hilton. Colossal Biosciences operates from a facility in a Dallas business park and focuses on using genetic technologies to revive extinct species.

According to company leadership, the work represents a "moral obligation" to restore species that have been lost. The dire wolf project represents the company's most significant achievement to date in the field of de-extinction research.

The announcement has generated both praise and criticism from the scientific community. Supporters view the breakthrough as a significant advancement in conservation technology, while critics have characterized the effort as "tech bro" hype that may divert resources and attention from current conservation efforts focused on protecting existing endangered species.

The dire wolf, which went extinct at the end of the last ice age, was larger than modern wolves and inhabited much of North and South America. The species has gained popular recognition through appearances in fiction, including the television series "Game of Thrones."

Colossal Biosciences has not yet released detailed scientific documentation of the process used to achieve the dire wolf births, and the claims have not been independently verified by the broader scientific community.