Lord of the Rings director backs de-extinction project
Lord of the Rings director aims to bring back long-extinct New Zealand bird
- Filmmaker Peter Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh are investing 15 million into a controversial project with biotech firm Colossal Biosciences to revive the extinct moa.
- Colossal Biosciences, in partnership with New Zealand's Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, aims to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the 3.6-metre-tall South Island giant moa.
- While Jackson is motivated by a childhood fascination, outside scientists express scepticism, deeming de-extinction "likely impossible" and raising concerns about diverting focus from protecting existing species.
- The initial phase involves identifying well-preserved moa bones for DNA extraction, comparing sequences to living birds like the tinamou and emu, and overcoming unique challenges in bird embryo development.
- The project also involves Māori scholars from the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, who will shape its direction and explore the cultural significance of the moa, which became extinct around 600 years ago due to overhunting.