Lord of the Rings Director Peter Jackson is working to bring back a species of bird that’s been extinct for 600 years, a species that just so happens to top 500lbs and stand at up to 3.6 meters tall.
When you think of Peter Jackson, you think of his legendary work adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy series. From The Lord of the Rings trilogy to The Hobbit flicks, and soon, two more spinoff movies, one centering around The Hunt for Gollum, he’s lived and breathed the beloved universe for decades.
However, when he’s not gearing up for a blockbuster production, it turns out the New Zealand native has a passion for things even older than Tolkien’s writing. As IGN first reported, Jackson has teamed up with biotech company Colossal Biosciences with one specific goal.
The filmmaker invested in the Texas-based company to push for a revival of a long-extinct species. New Zealand’s Moa birds have been extinct for 600 years, but with this collaboration, Jackson is hoping to bring the giant creatures back to life.
Peter Jackson trying to revive long-extinct bird species
The Moa bird spans nine unique species, with some smaller than others. At their biggest, the flightless birds can stand up to 3.6 meters tall and weigh as much as 500lbs.
In order to effectively bring the animals back from the dead, Colossal Biosciences has connected with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre. Together, thanks to Jackson’s help, they’re hoping to gather Moa bones, sampling as many as possible for their DNA.
Peter Jackson has already amassed a collection of hundreds of Moa bones.
“Fran and I have a collection of around 400 Moa bones, and we’ve already sampled them for DNA,” Jackson told IGN. “I see my role over the next year or two as gathering as many more bones as I can. The more bones, the better the genome.
“I’ve always loved the idea of de-extinction. Particularly, since the science can also have huge benefits with endangered species too.”
“The movies are my day job, and the Moa are my fun thing I do,” he told MSN.
Colossal Biosciences made headlines recently for similar work in reviving a long-lost animal species. In April, Time covered the company’s work in breeding the first ‘dire wolf’ in over 10,000 years, though there’s been some contention around the claim.
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