When was the moa bird discovered?

The claw belonged to a moa, an extinct flightless bird from New Zealand. In 1987, members of the New Zealand Speleological Society unearthed a giant claw belonging to a member of an extinct bird species.

When did the moa bird become extinct?

1440-1445 AD
It is hard to know exactly when the last of New Zealand’s iconic giant birds kicked the proverbial bucket, but new research has come up with the most accurate guess to date. Moa likely became extinct sometime between 1440-1445 AD, according to a new study from University of Auckland and Landcare Research scientists.

Why did the moa bird go extinct?

Polynesians arrived sometime before 1300, and all moa genera were soon driven to extinction by hunting and, to a lesser extent, by habitat reduction due to forest clearance. By 1445, all moa had become extinct, along with Haast’s eagle, which had relied on them for food.

When did moa birds go extinct in New Zealand?

about 500 to 600 years ago
Moa, giant flightless birds which stood up to 3.6 metres tall, were endemic to New Zealand and became extinct about 500 to 600 years ago.

Do moa birds still exist?

For millions of years, nine species of large, flightless birds known as moas (Dinornithiformes) thrived in New Zealand. Then, about 600 years ago, they abruptly went extinct. Now, a new genetic study of moa fossils points to humankind as the sole perpetrator of the birds’ extinction.

Who killed the moa?

NZME. Even small human populations can wipe out big animal species, according to local researchers who suggest moa extinction was rapid.

How long did the moa live?

The moa bones were collected from five fossil sites on New Zealand’s South Island, and ranged in age from 12,966 to 602 years old. The researchers analyzed mitochondrial and nuclear DNA from the bones and used it to examine the genetic diversity of the four species.

Can moa be cloned?

Cloning is the most common form of de-extinction, but scientists can also slip ancient DNA sequences into the eggs of live species. Aside from the dodo, scientists are also trying to revive the passenger pigeon, a wild pigeon that went extinct in the early 1900s.

Where did the moa live in NZ?

Moa lived on mainland New Zealand, and Great Barrier, D’Urville and Stewart islands, where there were trees, shrubs and grasses to eat. Different species preferred different habitats, depending on the food that was available.

How did the Haast eagle go extinct?

Haast’s eagle became extinct 500-600 years ago, around the same time that all moa species became extinct. Overhunting of its moa prey by humans was probably the main cause of its extinction.