Tag Archives: Moa

Colossal’s Ambitious Plan to Showcase the Massive MOA Remains Unachievable

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Artistic impressions of the moa, one of the largest extinct birds

Christopher Cree/Colossal Biosciences

Colossal Biosciences has unveiled its ambitious project to “bring back” the New Zealand MOA, one of the most remarkable extinct birds in history, although critics claim the objectives may be scientifically unfeasible.

The MOA was the only fully known flightless bird, with no close relatives like emus. Nine species once inhabited New Zealand, including the turkey-sized bush moa (Anomalopteryx didiformis). The two largest varieties, the South Island Giant MOA (Dinornis robustus) and the North Island Giant MOA (Dinornis novaezealandiae), both stood at an imposing 3.6 meters tall and weighed around 230 kilograms.

By the mid-15th century, all MOA species were believed extinct, following the arrival of the Polynesian people, now known as Māori, in New Zealand around 1300.

Colossal has partnered with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, an indigenous institution affiliated with the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, along with filmmakers such as Peter Jackson and the Canterbury Museum. These collaborations are vital as Colossal aims to extract DNA and reconstruct the genomes of all nine species of MOA.

Similar to Colossal’s other “de-extinction” initiatives, this project involves modifying the DNA of currently existing species. Andrew Pask, a scientific advisor at the University of Melbourne, notes that the MOA’s closest living relative is the South American Tinamou, although it is considerably smaller.

This suggests the project may need to utilize the Australian EMU (Dromaius novaehollandiae) instead. As Pask explains, “Emus have large embryos and eggs, which are crucial for recreating the MOA.”

Previously, Colossal announced its so-called “de-extinction” of the thylacine. This endeavor has faced skepticism from external experts who argue that the animal is essentially a modified gray wolf. Pask insists that the MOA project involves greater genetic manipulation.

“With the MOA, we are making a concerted effort to accurately reassemble the species,” he states. “When this animal walks the Earth again, we will have no doubt it is a true MOA. It will be an engineered version of the original.”

The specific habitat for these reintroduced animals is still unclear. Mike Stevens from the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre emphasizes that both his organization and the local Māori community must fully grasp the “feasibility and ethical implications” of Colossal’s efforts. “Only after this discussion can we consider how and where the ‘giant MOA’ will fit into our world,” he mentions, raising numerous profound ethical and practical questions that need careful consideration before proceeding. Technology must prove its worth.

Conversely, Philip Seddon from the University of Otago believes that whatever Colossal creates won’t truly be a MOA and may exhibit distinctly different traits. He highlights that while Tinamous are the closest relative of the MOA, their evolutionary paths diverged over 60 million years ago.

“Ultimately, Colossal’s approach utilizes genetic engineering to produce GMOs that resemble an extinct species without genuinely solving contemporary global issues,” he asserts.

Pask vigorously challenges this viewpoint, arguing that insights gained from this de-extinction endeavor are crucial for the preservation of current endangered species.

Jamie Wood from the University of Adelaide believes this project may yield “valuable new perspectives on MOA biology and evolution.” However, he cautions that if Colossal employs similar methodologies to those used in the dire wolf project, they could struggle to persuade the public that the resultant creature can be regarded as a true MOA.

“While they may possess certain MOA-like characteristics, they are unlikely to behave as the originals did or occupy the same ecological roles.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists have revealed that the extinct MOA used to eat a vibrant truffle-like fungus

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Paleontologists have discovered ancient DNA and truffle-like fungal spores, including at least one colorful species. Upland More (Megalapteryx didinus) an extinct species of giant flightless bird endemic to New Zealand.

Boast et al. We report ancient DNA and spores from inside two coprolites in the highland MOA (Megalapteryx didinus) that reveals the consumption and possible dispersal of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Image credit: Jiji et al. , doi:10.1098/rsbl.2024.0440.

Fungi like truffles have fruit bodies that never fully open and have no way to expel the spores.

Other fungi do this by wind, but fungi like truffles rely on animals to consume them and disperse their spores.

Overseas, such fungi, including true truffles, are generally monotonous, have a strong aroma, and are very attractive to mammals.

In contrast, New Zealanders are often brightly colored, resembling fallen fruit on the forest floor.

These fungi may have relied on fruit-eating birds for dispersal, but there is little evidence that modern native birds eat them.

Ecologists have long debated that the original disperser must have been an extinct bird, but this has never been demonstrated.

In new research, Dr. Alexander boasts about Manaki.

The specimen was discovered in Hodges Creek Cave, near the Upper Takaka River basin in northwest Nelson and Takaha Valley (TV) in Fiordland on New Zealand’s South Island.

“Previous studies on coprolites have already shown that extinct MOAs ate brightly colored fruits and other plant matter, but new analysis shows that MOAs actually fed on these colorful truffle-like fungal species. ,” the researchers said.

“This discovery adds weight to the idea that these fungi have specifically evolved to be attractive to fruit-eating birds.”

“The MOA would have been good at dispersing fungal spores. Comparisons with its distant cousin The Ostrich, which retains food for about 36 hours after eating it, suggest that the MOA would have carried spores into the intestines over long distances.” It shows that we were able to do it.”

“But given that large birds are going extinct, what if these fungi are driving the dispersal they once depended on?”

“What will ultimately happen to these evolutionary anachronisms? Species that rely on other species to establish and thrive on things that are no longer there?”

“Furthermore, how might this loss affect the resilience and ability of current native forests to regenerate and expand?”

“Remaining species of herbivorous subterranean birds such as Weka are unlikely to compensate for the loss of MOA in dispersing these fungi.”

“In turn, this may have a knock-on effect on overall forest resilience today.”

“Forest species such as beech in New Zealand have evolved symbiotic relationships with native fungi, such as those detected at MoA Poos, benefiting regeneration and resilience, and the native fungi in the mix help improve forest resilience. may decrease.”

team’s paper Published in journal biology letters.

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Alexander P. Boasts et al. 2025. Coprolite DNA and spores reveal that the colorful truffle-like fungus endemic to New Zealand was consumed by the extinct MOA (Dinornithiformes). Biol. Lett 21(1):20240440; doi:10.1098/rsbl.2024.0440

Source: www.sci.news

The former Moa refuge now shelters New Zealand’s surviving flightless birds.

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Human settlement of the Pacific islands triggered a wave of faunal extinctions that occurred so rapidly that their dynamics are difficult to reconstruct in space and time. These extinctions included a large wingless bird called the moa, endemic to New Zealand. In a new study, New Zealand scientists say University of Adelaide and others have reconstructed the distribution and extinction dynamics of six moa species across New Zealand. They find that the final populations of all moa species generally occur in the cold, mountainous areas that are the last remaining and least affected by humans. They also find that the final moa population refugia continue to function as isolated sanctuaries for New Zealand's flightless birds.

This is an artist's impression of the Upland Mower. Megarapteryx didinusby George Edward Lodge, 1907.

“Our study overcame previous logistical challenges, allowing us to track the population dynamics of six moa species at a resolution previously thought impossible,” said Dr Damian Fordham, from the University of Adelaide.

“We achieved this by combining advanced computational modelling with the vast fossil record, palaeoclimatic information and innovative reconstructions of human settlement and expansion across New Zealand.”

“Our study shows that despite significant differences in the ecology, demographics and timing of extinction of moa species, their distributions collapsed and converged to the same regions in the North and South Islands of New Zealand.”

Dr Fordham and his colleagues found that the last populations of any moa species lived in the same isolated, cold mountain regions that currently house many of the last populations of New Zealand's most endangered flightless birds, including Mount Aspiring in the South Island and the Ruahine Ranges in the North Island.

Hearst's Eagle (Hieraethus Moulay) attacking two moas. Image by John Megahan/PLoS Biology, doi:10.1371/journalplo.0030020.

“Moa populations were likely first to disappear from the highest quality lowland habitats favoured by Polynesian settlers, and the rate of population decline decreased with increasing elevation and distance moved inland,” said Dr Sean Tomlinson, also from the University of Adelaide.

“By identifying the last remaining populations of moa and comparing them with the distribution of flightless birds in New Zealand, we found that these last refuges also protect many of the surviving populations of takahe, weka and great spotted kiwi today.”

“Furthermore, these ancient refugia for the moa overlap with the last mainland populations of the critically endangered kakapo.”

“Although the drivers of the recent declines of New Zealand's endemic flightless birds are different to those that caused the ancient moa extinction, this study shows that their spatial dynamics are similar.”

Moas fed on trees and shrubs in the forest understory. Image by Heinrich Harder.

“The main commonality between past and present refuges is not that they are the best habitats for flightless birds, but that they remain the last refuges, the least affected by humans,” said Dr Jamie Wood, also from the University of Adelaide.

“As with previous waves of Polynesian expansion, European habitat conversion across New Zealand, and the spread of the animals they introduced, was directional, moving from the lowlands towards the colder, less hospitable mountain regions.”

Team result Published in a journal Natural Ecology and Evolution.

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S. Tomlinson othersThe ecological dynamics of the moa extinction revealed a convergent refugium where flightless birds live today. Nat Ecol EvolPublished online July 24, 2024, doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02449-x

Source: www.sci.news