Endangered Assumptions

Sometimes, the deeper you dig into a subject, the more tangled the roots become.

And lately, I’ve been digging deep into something that raises the fur on my neck.

Have you heard about the proposal to give endangered Asian elephants synthetic mRNA vaccines to protect them from a herpesvirus that threatens their calves?

Colossal Biosciences partnered with Dr. Paul Ling, a virologist at Baylor College of Medicine, and the Houston Zoo for another ground breaking viral genetics moment.

On the surface, it sounds like a noble act of science galloping in to save the day.

After all, who wouldn’t want to preserve such a majestic creature?

But let’s slow the stampede and track the trail carefully before charging ahead on pure emotion.

First of all, it’s important for you to know that the synthetic mRNA vaccine is not the same as the natural mRNA message your body reads during infection.

While synthetic mRNA vaccines may seem similar to natural mRNA produced by the body, they’re not the same creature at all.

The synthetic version is stabilized, modified chemically, to last longer, travel differently, and evoke a more robust immune response.

Scientists use pseudouridine or other analogs to keep the synthetic mRNA from degrading too fast.

They wrap it in lipid nanoparticles to sneak it into cells more efficiently.

These are marvels of modern bioengineering.

But they’re also uncharted territory, especially when introduced into an entirely different genus—like Elephas maximus.

And while the synthetic mRNA used in mRNA vaccines mimics the blueprint for a spike protein, it's dressed in man-made modifications: pseudo-uridine bases to avoid immune detection, lipid nanoparticles to ferry it into cells, and sometimes stabilizing mutations to keep the proteins in a shape the immune system will best recognize.

In other words, it teaches the immune system a lesson in recognition without needing the threat of real infection.

But here’s the rub...

Synthetic mRNA vaccines don’t always stay where they're told.

Studies show that, in some cases, synthetic mRNA can escape the injection site, circulate in the bloodstream, and reach unexpected organs - including the ovaries, spleen, liver, even the brain.

And the immune response they trigger may linger far longer than anticipated.

And now we're learning that, in rare cases, the very immune signals meant to help can turn inward, sparking autoimmune-like conditions, long-term inflammation, or unexplained post-vaccine syndromes in certain individuals.

No, it's not every case.

But when it is, it's serious.

So, let’s circle back to the elephants.

Ask yourself:

• Do we really understand how these synthetic materials interact with an elephant’s unique immune system?
• What happens if the vaccine crosses into the bloodstream and causes unintended inflammation?
• What if the synthetic spike protein resembles an elephant protein too closely… and confuses the body into attacking its own tissues?

And to top it off, Asian elephants are critically endangered.

Each calf matters.

Each mistake echoes louder because there’s no safety in numbers.

If synthetic mRNA were to trigger an unexpected reaction, such as an autoimmune attack, reproductive disruption, or worse, it could devastate a genetic line that’s already hanging by a thread.

Science has always been a double-edged spear.

Powerful.

Precise.

But if thrown without caution, it doesn’t always land where we hope.

And this is where I feel the chill of a Pleistocene wind in my bones.

Because I can’t help but ask:

What happens when this same synthetic mRNA technology

is turned toward dogs?

What happens when the next novel canine virus breaks out, and the solution is another lab-crafted injection; synthetic, fast-tracked, "safe until it isn’t"?

Would you line up your beloved pup, the one who sleeps by your bed, guards your dreams, and follows your every step, for a shot based on human models, with immune pathways we still don’t fully understand?

Would you roll those dice?

I wouldn’t.

Not without years of data.

Not with something that could alter the delicate immune balance of a living creature who trusts me without question.

Not to mention, our American Dirus dogs are rare, too.

And precious in their own right.

Born from decades of careful tracking, selection, and preservation.

Gentle giants with Ice Age souls and tender hearts.

If science ever comes knocking, asking to use them as test subjects in a grand, untested design… this pack will be ready with a fierce and thoughtful “No.”

Because unlike hubris, wisdom doesn’t rush forward.

It watches.

It learns.

And it waits until the path is safe for all who follow.

So, here’s what we can control:

Natural immunity.

Not just through exposure, but through generations of strong, healthy breeding.

Through selection not for looks or gimmicks, but for long-term resilience.

For calm nervous systems.

For adaptable temperaments.

For sturdy bodies with quiet, intelligent minds.

That’s what we do here.

That’s the heart of the Dire Wolf Project.

And right now, we have two remaining puppies from the Happy Days litter.

They are the culmination of decades of work; bloodlines built on nature’s blueprint, not man’s chemicals.

Are they immune to all things?

Of course not.

But they are well-equipped by nature, guided by thoughtful, careful breeding.

And they’re waiting for their forever homes.

See the Last Two Puppies from the Happy Days Litter

Let’s be wise stewards of the animals in our care.

Let’s not allow human hubris to write checks biology can’t cash.

Let’s protect our endangered species…

…our canine companions…

…and the old ways that still whisper truths, like a wolf’s howl in the frozen distance.

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.