Colossal aims to resurrect Giant Moa

Colossal announced a plan to resurrect long-gone Giant Moa from New-Zealand

July 18, 2025

In a move stirring both scientific fascination and ethical debate, Colossal Biosciences—known for its (sometimes controversial) “de‑extinction” work—is teaming up with filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson and New Zealand's Ngāi Tahu people in a high‑profile bid to bring back the giant moa. Standing up to 3.6 m (12 ft) tall, these flightless birds were driven extinct around the 15th century by over‑hunting. The newly announced initiative aims to reconstruct a moa‑like bird using cutting‑edge gene‑editing and surrogate incubation techniques.

🧬 Background

Colossal has already attracted global attention with its dire wolf and woolly mammoth programs. In early July 2025, the company revealed:

• Sir Peter Jackson and his wife Fran Walsh invested US $15 million, and Jackson contributed a collection of approximately 400 moa bones.

• The project is a collaboration with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre to ensure cultural sensitivity and ecological awareness.

• The plan: extract ancient DNA from bone fragments, map it against living relatives (emus and tinamous), and edit those genomes to approximate moa traits, followed by surrogacy using artificial eggs and fenced reserves.
  
  

📌 The Science & Timeline

• Genome reconstruction: Using moa bone DNA plus emu/tinamou comparisons, Colossal is editing gene sequences to recreate traits like height and herbivorous guts.

• Surrogate incubation: Moa eggs were roughly 24 cm long—too large for emu—so researchers plan artificial egg systems and host surrogates.

• Timeline: A living moa-like bird could emerge within 5–10 years, possibly by 2033.
  
  

🧭 Implications & Concerns

Potential Benefit

Reviving lost genes, ecological functions (seed dispersal, vegetation control)

Boosting AI-enabled conservation and artificial-egg tech for endangered bird.

Main Criticism

Genetic “ghost”: resembling moa, but far from being the authentic species 

Ecological mismatch, modern habitats, and shifting focus from preserving existing species

Noted critics include Professor Philip Seddon (Otago University), asserting: “Any end result will … not be a moa—a unique treasure… Genetic engineering cannot truly restore extinct species”. Others echo worries about hybrid organisms masquerading as extinct animals .

🗣️ Expert & Cultural Voices

Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s chief scientist, acknowledges past controversy: the dire wolves were modified gray wolves. She emphasizes that the moa project is still “very early,” with major scientific hurdles ahead—especially for avian development inside eggs.
Māori archaeologist Kyle Davis highlights the importance of Indigenous knowledge: “We relish the prospect of bringing that into dialogue with Colossal’s cutting‑edge science…”.

🌱 Ecological & Cultural Stakes

The moa once shaped New Zealand’s ecosystems, helping to control vegetation and disperse seeds—a role left vacant for centuries. Supporters frame the effort as ecological restoration, paired with cultural reconnection for Māori.
Critics warn that resources might be better spent on protecting threatened species today, and that rewilding moa—even in reserves—may stress modern landscapes altered by humans.

🧭 Looking Ahead

Colossal aims for a moa-like bird within a decade, starting in controlled reserves before any reintroduction. The project raises fundamental questions: What defines a species? Can hybrid organisms serve conservation? And is it ethical to rewrite history genetically?

As Colossal and its partners embark on this ambitious journey, the world watches closely: a potential leap forward—or a cautionary tale in the age of genetic power.

🔍 News Highlights

• $15 million investment from Peter Jackson & Fran Walsh kicks off Colossal’s moa project, leveraging Jackson’s 400‑bone collection.

• Colossal partners with Ngāi Tahu, stressing cultural inclusion and Māori-led ecological stewardship.

• Genome editing of emu/tinamou planned, aiming for moa-like birds within 5–10 years, with artificial egg strategies key to success.

• Scientific skepticism runs high: experts argue these will be hybrids, not true moa, with ecological and ethical risks.

• Debate deepens: tension mounts between de-extinction innovation and prioritizing existing species conservation.

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