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.
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“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.”