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Yomiuri Shimbun
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
‘Lord of the Rings' Director Backs Long Shot Plan, to Revive Extinct New Zealand Giant Bird
WASHINGTON (AP) — Filmmaker Peter Jackson owns one of the largest private collections of bones of an extinct New Zealand bird called the moa. His fascination with the flightless ostrich-like bird has led to an unusual partnership with a biotech company known for its grand and controversial plans to bring back lost species. On July 8, Colossal Biosciences announced an effort to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the extinct South Island giant moa — which once stood 3.6 meters tall — with $15 million in funding from Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh. The collaboration also includes the New Zealand-based Ngai Tahu Research Centre. 'The movies are my day job, and the moa are my fun thing I do,' said Jackson. 'Every New Zealand schoolchild has a fascination with the moa.'Outside scientists say the idea of bringing back extinct species onto the modern landscape is likely impossible, although it may be feasible to tweak the genes of living animals to have similar physical traits. Scientists have mixed feelings on whether that will be helpful, and some worry that focusing on lost creatures could distract from protecting species that still exist. The moa roamed New Zealand for 4,000 years until they became extinct around 600 years ago, mainly because of overhunting. A large skeleton brought to England in the 19th century, now on display at the Yorkshire Museum, prompted international interest in the long-necked bird. Unlike Colossal's work with dire wolves, the moa project is in the very early stages. It started with a phone call about two years ago after Jackson heard about the company's efforts to 'deextinct' — or create genetically similar animals to — species like the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf. Then Jackson put Colossal in touch with experts he'd met through his own moa bone-collecting. At that point, he'd amassed between 300 and 400 bones, he said. In New Zealand, it's legal to buy and sell moa bones found on private lands, but not in public conservation areas — nor to export them. The first stage of the moa project will be to identify well-preserved bones from which it may be possible to extract DNA, said Colossal's chief scientist Beth Shapiro. Those DNA sequences will be compared to genomes of living bird species, including the ground-dwelling tinamou and emu, 'to figure out what it is that made the moa unique compared to other birds,' she said. Colossal used a similar process of comparing ancient DNA of extinct dire wolves to determine the genetic differences with gray wolves. Then scientists took blood cells from a living gray wolf and used CRISPR to genetically modify them in 20 different sites. Pups with long white hair and muscular jaws were born late last year. Working with birds presents different challenges, said Shapiro. Unlike mammals, bird embryos develop inside eggs, so the process of transferring an embryo to a surrogate will not look like mammalian IVF. 'There's lots of different scientific hurdles that need to be overcome with any species that we pick as a candidate for deextinction,' said Shapiro. 'We are in the very early stages.' If the Colossal team succeeds in creating a tall bird with huge feet and thick pointed claws resembling the moa, there's also the pressing question of where to put it, said Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm, who is not involved in the project. 'Can you put a species back into the wild once you've exterminated it there?' he said. 'I think it's exceedingly unlikely that they could do this in any meaningful way.' 'This will be an extremely dangerous animal,' Pimm added. The direction of the project will be shaped by Maori scholars at the University of Canterbury's Ngai Tahu Research Centre. Ngai Tahu archaeologist Kyle Davis, an expert in moa bones, said the work has 'really reinvigorated the interest in examining our own traditions and mythology.' At one of the archaeological sites that Jackson and Davis visited to study moa remains, called Pyramid Valley, there are also antique rock art done by Maori people — some depicting moa before their extinction. Paul Scofield, a project adviser and senior curator of natural history at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, said he first met the 'Lord of the Rings' director when he went to his house to help him identity which of the nine known species of moa the various bones represented. 'He doesn't just collect some moa bones — he has a comprehensive collection,' said Scofield.
Irish Independent
14-07-2025
- Science
- Irish Independent
Scientists try to bring 12-foot bird back from 600-year extinction – and director Peter Jackson is helping them
©UK Independent Today at 00:30 A Texas-based company with backing from Lord of the Rings filmmaker Peter Jackson is trying to bring a giant bird back from extinction. Colossal Biosciences has announced an effort to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the extinct South Island giant moa, which once stood 12 feet tall (3.6 metres), with $15m (€13m) in funding from Jackson. The collaboration also includes the New Zealand-based Ngai Tahu Research Centre.
NDTV
13-07-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Scientists To Resurrect Tallest Bird To Have Ever Lived On Earth
A US-based startup is attempting to bring a giant flightless bird that roamed New Zealand back into existence. Standing more than three metres (12ft) high, the South Island giant moa is regarded as the tallest bird to have ever walked the face of Earth. Now, Colossal Biosciences is aiming to genetically engineer the bird, having secured $15 million in funding from Lord of the Rings director Sir Peter Jackson. The giant moa disappeared a century after the arrival of early Polynesian settlers in New Zealand about 600 years ago. As per the de-extinction company, the giant boa was unique as it neither had wings nor vestigial structures. "Bringing back a creature with such massive cultural heritage is no small feat. It takes a monumental collaboration grounded in hope, science, and respect. This is more than de-extinction. It is restoration. Hope is taking flight, even if these birds can't," Colossal Biosciences said in the announcement video. "We're bringing back avian dinosaurs," it added. In partnership with the Ngai Tahu Research Centre at New Zealand's University of Canterbury, the Texas-based company is aiming to resurrect the extinct bird within five to 10 years. "The hope that within a few years, we'll get to see a moa back again - that gives me more enjoyment and satisfaction that any film ever has," said Mr Jackson. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Colossal Biosciences (@colossal) Also read | "I Am Leaving India": Gurugram Man's Emotional Outburst Over Flooded Roads This is not the first time scientists at Colossal have attempted to resurrect a species. In April, Colossal Biosciences gained worldwide popularity after releasing footage of canines they claimed were dire wolves -- a species that vanished more than 12,000 years ago. The wolves were born of both grey wolf and extinct dire wolf DNA. The pups underwent 20 genetic edits across 14 genes to replicate the physical traits of their extinct ancestors, making them nearly 20 per cent heavier than average grey wolves. They exhibit classic dire wolf traits, including thick white fur, broad heads and hefty builds.
The Independent
12-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
How scientists plan to ‘resurrect' the extinct South Island giant moa
Colossal Biosciences, a Texas-based company, is attempting to resurrect the extinct South Island giant moa, a 12-foot-tall bird, through genetic engineering. The project is backed by Lord of the Rings filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson, who has provided $15 million (£11m) in funding, and includes the New Zealand -based Ngāi Tahu Research Centre. Scientists aim to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the moa within five to 10 years, starting by extracting DNA from well-preserved bones. This marks Colossal's first attempt to de-extinct a bird, presenting unique challenges compared to their previous work with designer grey wolves. The initiative faces controversy from some scientists who question the feasibility of reintroducing extinct species and worry it may divert focus from protecting existing wildlife.
Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
This movie legend wants to resurrect a 12 foot tall bird after it went extinct
The South Island giant moa, a massive, flightless bird that disappeared from New Zealand around 600 years ago due to overhunting, might soon be resurrected, thanks to a partnership between Peter Jackson's biotech firm and an iconic filmmaker Imagine the possibility of bringing back a species that was thought to be gone for good. A huge, flightless bird that disappeared from New Zealand about 600 years ago could soon be revived, thanks to a US-based biotech company and a famous filmmaker. Peter Jackson, the acclaimed director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, owns one of the biggest private collections of moa bones - a bird native to New Zealand that is now extinct. His passion for the large bird, similar to an ostrich, has led to an extraordinary collaboration with Colossal Biosciences, a company known for its bold and sometimes divisive projects to revive extinct species. On Tuesday, Colossal Biosciences announced its plan to genetically recreate the 3.6-metre tall South Island giant moa, backed by $15 million (£11 million) in funding from Jackson and his partner, Fran Walsh. The venture also involves the New Zealand-based Ngai Tahu Research Centre. READ MORE: Why woolly mammoths could be walking among us again in just a few years "The movies are my day job, and the moa are my fun thing I do," Jackson said. "Every New Zealand schoolchild has a fascination with the moa." However, many scientists outside the company believe that reintroducing extinct species into the modern environment is highly unlikely to succeed, reports the Express US. Scientific divide Instead, it might be possible to genetically modify existing animals to replicate certain traits. There is a divide among scientists about the merits of such projects, with some expressing concerns that the focus on reviving extinct species could divert attention and resources away from efforts to protect and conserve species that still exist. The moa, a long-necked bird that inhabited New Zealand for 4,000 years before being hunted to extinction around 600 years ago, has garnered significant international interest. A large skeleton of the bird was transported to England in the 19th century and is currently on display at the Yorkshire Museum. Deextinction timeline In contrast to Colossal's work with dire wolves, the moa project is still in its early stages. The endeavour began approximately two years ago when Jackson learned about the company's initiatives to genetically recreate or "de-extinct" species such as the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf. Jackson then introduced Colossal to experts he had met through his own collection of moa bones, which he claims comprises between 300 and 400 bones. In New Zealand, it is legal to buy and sell moa bones discovered on private land, but not on public conservation areas, and their export is also prohibited. Genetic secrets The initial phase of the moa project involves identifying well-preserved bones from which DNA can potentially be extracted, according to Beth Shapiro, Colossal's chief scientist. Scientists are attempting to unravel the genetic secrets behind what made the extinct moa unique by comparing its DNA with that of living birds like the tinamou and emu. In a similar venture, Colossal analysed ancient DNA from the long-gone dire wolves, employing CRISPR to edit genes in a current-day grey wolf. Biologist Shapiro outlined specific challenges faced in the quest to bring birds back from extinction, with bird embryology differing significantly from that of mammals, making mammalian IVF techniques unusable. Complex code Shapiro conveyed the complexities of such scientific endeavours, saying: "There's lots of different scientific hurdles that need to be overcome with any species that we pick as a candidate for de-extinction," and underlined that their efforts are just beginning: "We are in the very early stages." As Colossal presses forward with hopes of resurrecting a giant bird resembling the moa, Duke University's ecologist Stuart Pimm voiced concerns over reintroduction to the wild, asking: "Can you put a species back into the wild once you've exterminated it there?" He cast doubt on the success of rewilding attempts, arguing: "I think it's exceedingly unlikely that they could do this in any meaningful way." Pimm also warned of possible dangers, stating: "This will be an extremely dangerous animal."
