Colossal Biosciences Plans Giant Moa De-Extinction in New Zealand

Colossal Biosciences, a leading biotech company, has launched a groundbreaking $50 million project to resurrect New Zealand's extinct flightless giant moas using advanced genetic engineering techniques like CRISPR-Cas9. Partnering with the indigenous Ngāi Tahu Research Centre and filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson, the initiative aims to revive all nine moa species by sequencing their genomes from preserved specimens and modifying the DNA of closely related birds to recreate the moa. This indigenous-coordinated effort integrates Māori cultural values and ecological knowledge, positioning itself as a pioneering model of collaboration between science and indigenous people to restore ecological balance. Scientists emphasize that moas once played a vital role in maintaining New Zealand’s ecosystems before their extinction due to human hunting and habitat loss over 600 years ago. While non-avian dinosaur de-extinction remains improbable due to DNA degradation, the moa represents a realistic and significant step forward in de-extinction science, potentially aiding ecological restoration. The project may also pave the way for similar efforts to bring back other extinct species, including those already targeted by Colossal like woolly mammoths and dodos.