Filmmaker Peter Jackson, who owns one of the world’s largest private collections of moa bones — the remains of a giant, flightless bird once native to New Zealand — has turned his long-standing interest in the extinct species into a bold scientific venture.
On Tuesday, biotech firm Colossal Biosciences announced a new project aimed at genetically engineering modern birds to mimic the South Island giant moa, which could grow up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) tall. The initiative is backed by $15 million in funding from Jackson and his creative partner, Fran Walsh, and involves collaboration with New Zealand’s Ngāi Tahu Research Centre.
