What exactly is a “Great Moa”, anyway? The Great Moa is a species of extinct bird that once lived in New Zealand. They could reach 12 feet tall, with their necks extended, and could weigh up to 250 kilograms. The Moa was a flightless bird, which lacked even vestigial wings. Having few natural predators on the island, the Moa is thought to have laid it’s eggs on the ground, making them very vulnerable to the Māori people when they arrived in the 1400s. They are believed to have gone extinct as early as 100 years after the arrival of the Māori people.

The Great Moa is also my favorite animal of all time, and I wish I could have had the chance to see one. If this isn’t a perfect case for DNA recovery & cloning of an extinct species, I don’t know what is.