WASHINGTON, D.C.: Filmmaker Peter Jackson's lifelong fascination with the extinct giant New Zealand flightless bird called the moa has led to a surprising new partnership with U.S.-based biotech company Colossal Biosciences, which aims to bring back extinct species through genetic engineering

Jackson, best known for directing The Lord of the Rings, owns one of the world's largest private collections of bones from the moa.

This week, Colossal announced a new project to re-create a bird resembling the South Island giant moa, a towering creature that once stood up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) tall. The project has received US$15 million in funding from Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh and includes collaboration with New Zealand's Ngāi Tahu Research Centre.

"The movies are my day job; the moa are my fun thing," Jackson said. "Every New Zealand schoolchild grows up fascinated by the moa."

While scientists doubt extinct animals can be truly brought back, some believe it's possible to alter existing species to resemble them genetically. Still, there are concerns that efforts like this may take attention and resources away from conserving living endangered species.

Moa lived in New Zealand for thousands of years before being hunted to extinction about 600 years ago. International interest in the bird spiked in the 19th century when a complete skeleton was sent to England, now housed in the Yorkshire Museum.

Jackson became involved with Colossal after learning of its efforts to "de-extinct" species like the woolly mammoth and dire wolf. He connected the company with scientists he had met through his collection of 300 to 400 moa bones. In New Zealand, moa bones can be traded if found on private land, but cannot be exported or taken from public conservation areas.

The project's first step is to identify well-preserved moa bones that may contain extractable DNA, said Colossal's chief scientist, Beth Shapiro. The DNA will be compared with that of living ground-dwelling birds like the emu and tinamou to determine what made the moa unique.

Shapiro said re-creating a bird is harder than re-creating a mammal because birds develop inside eggs. Applying techniques like CRISPR to avian embryos faces scientific hurdles.

Even if a moa-like bird is created, Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm questioned its viability. "Where would you put it?" he asked, noting the challenges of reintroducing extinct species. "This would be a very dangerous animal."

Ngāi Tahu researchers are helping guide the project, linking it to Māori traditions and heritage. Moa bones and ancient Māori rock art at sites like Pyramid Valley add cultural depth to the work.

"He doesn't just collect moa bones," said Canterbury Museum curator Paul Scofield. "He has a comprehensive collection."