Tag: 15th century

Giant Haast's eagle attacking New Zealand moa
A Haast's eagle attacks already extinct New Zealand moas. The largest moas were the female South Island giant moas. They could reach a weight of up to 300 kilograms. (© John Megahan, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons)

Haast’s Eagle

The largest bird of prey in modern times Before humans settled in New Zealand around 700 years ago and introduced invasive species like cats and rats, there were no land-dwelling mammals on the islands – aside from three species of bats. Instead, the ecosystem was dominated by approximately 250 bird

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hunting scene with moas
New Zealand's unique birdlife evolved in isolation over millions of years. This late 19th-century illustration depicts a hunting scene involving moas. (© Joseph Smit, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

In the Footsteps of Moas: Where New Zealand’s Flightless Birds Find Refuge

The settlement of the Pacific Islands by humans led to rapid waves of extinction for many animal species, whose dynamics are difficult to reconstruct. Among the affected species were the wingless moas, which were only found in New Zealand. These often massive birds went extinct in the 14th or 15th

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Dinornis novaezealandiae
Bones of the North Island giant moa at the <a href="https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/" target="_blank" Auckland War Memorial Museum. (© Auckland Museum, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

North Island Giant Moa

The second largest moa species This moa species inhabited bush, grass, and dune lands, as well as forests on New Zealand’s North Island. The North Island giant moa is considered the second largest moa species. The largest species is the South Island giant moa, which was endemic to New Zealand’s

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