Rare South Island moa egg returns to Aotearoa after purchase by Colossal Biosciences

A rare South Island moa egg is returning to Aotearoa after being purchased for US$10,500 (approximately NZ$18,500) at a public auction in the United States. The specimen will be transferred to the care of Ngāi Tahu research leaders, marking a shift in stewardship from a private American collection to the iwi of Te Waipounamu. The acquisition was made by Colossal Biosciences, a de-extinction company backed by Sir Peter Jackson. The company announced the return of the egg at the Christchurch Town Hall on Monday, stating that the move is part of a commitment to ensure indigenous leaders guide the scientific decisions and processes behind their moa programme. Provenience and Legal Status The egg, which measures roughly 22 by 17 centimetres, was discovered in New Zealand in 1966 and is believed to have originated from a human burial site dating to the Moa Hunter period (AD 1300). It remained in a private collection in the US for approximately 60 years before being sold by Artemis Gallery in Louisville, Colorado, in June 2026.