The giant moa has been extinct for 900 years, but Maori researchers working Colossal Biosciences and filmmaker Peter Jackson are partnering to bring the species back.

“Some of those iconic species that feature in our tribal mythology, our storytelling, are very near and dear to us,” says Ngāi Tahu archaeologist Kyle Davis, who is working on the moa de-extinction project. “Participation in scientific research, species management, and conservation has been a large part of our activities.”