“Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson: He wants to bring back the extinct dodo

The dodo, a bird species that has been extinct since the end of the 17th century, is considered a warning example of the negative influence that humanity can have on biodiversity. Some scientists led by geneticist George Church have made it their mission to correct this and other errors and bring extinct species back to life. The Texas company Colossal Biosciences can apparently rely on the active and financially strong help of an Oscar winner in this undertaking: “The Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson (62) and his wife Fran Walsh (65) contributed ten million US dollars to bring back the dodo and other extinct animals.

The total amount donated so far amounts to 235 million US dollars. In addition to the Jackson couple, “Thor” actor Chris Hemsworth (41), sports stars Tom Brady (47) and Tiger Woods (48) and Paris Hilton (43) are also said to have donated. In addition to the ambitious undertaking of resurrecting extinct animal species using genetic engineering, Jackson also wants to use his donation to help save species threatened with extinction in his homeland of New Zealand in a timely manner. His spokesman revealed this to “Bloomberg”.

Even more animals are said to walk the earth again

In addition to the dodo, Colossal Biosciences also plans to bring back the Tasmanian tiger (also known as the thylacine). The last known specimen died in a zoo in 1936. The company’s literally biggest project: the return of the woolly mammoth after it went extinct an estimated 4,000 years ago.

Despite the generous donation, Peter Jackson does not have to fear his own extinction. to around 1.5 billion US dollars. He made the biggest chunk of it in 2021 when he sold shares in his animation studio – then known as Weta Digital.