Plans to revive extinct South Island giant moa spark debate

Wednesday 9 July 2025 · 5 outlets · 3 reports · updated Thu 10 Jul 2025, 5:00am

In this story Ngāi Tahu, Peter Jackson, Colossal Biosciences

Colossal Biosciences and a University of Canterbury research centre aim to genetically engineer birds to resemble the extinct South Island giant moa by 2035. The proposal has faced criticism from the Greens and a Dunedin paleontologist, while Ngāi Tahu says it will consider the morality and viability of the project.

How they headlined it

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1. NZ HeraldWed 9 Jul 2025, 6:00pm

   Moa de-extinction plans: Greens react, say money would be better spent saving living species (opens in new tab)

2. Otago Daily TimesThu 10 Jul 2025, 4:30am

   Plan to bring back moa for the birds: paleontologist (opens in new tab)

3. The PressThu 10 Jul 2025, 5:00am

   Great potential and deep challenges seen in effort to revive moa birds (opens in new tab)

   Also on The Post (opens in new tab), Waikato Times (opens in new tab)