These birds evolved around 85 million years ago on the southern
Super-continent Gondwanaland. They belonged to a group of birds known
as Ratites; members of this family include Ostriches, Emus and the
extinct Elephant Bird of Madagascar.
Once New Zealand
separated from Gondwanaland and became isolated it allowed the Moa to
exist in a relatively predator-free environment, filled with avian
fauna, the only mammals present were three species of small bats.
Recently discovered fossil evidence also indicates a species of both
Python and Crocodile which may have also included Moa on the menu.
This
isolation allowed these birds to reach a wide variety of sizes, from
small turkey-sized species, such as Euryapteryx curtus, to the gigantic
Dinoris giganteus which stood 4 metres and weighed in at 250 kilograms.
All these Moa species were herbivorous and browsers. They ranged in
habitat from the alpine regions down to the coastal areas.
The main mysteries surrounding this bird are when did it become extinct, or in fact if it is extinct at all.
Some have suggested the Moa was already on the decline before human
colonization began; however, evidence from Maori butchering and cooking
sites show there must have been an abundance of these birds, judging by
the wasteful practices involved in the butchering process. Meat from
the thighs was mainly used and the rest of the carcass was left to rot.
This
is rather surprising as the Maori of old were very conservation
conscious to ensure resources were not overtaxed. This was achieved by
oral tradition and legend; seasons were set out for hunting different
species which ensured a recovery period.
Even the name Moa is
somewhat of an enigma as it does not appear among the oral traditional
legends. The name used to refer to this bird was Tarepo.
It is
generally accepted that the large species were extinct by the early
1800s, and if not extinct by then they had become exceedingly rare.
This may have been fact however if is likely that some of the smaller
species which had been overlooked as a food source because of their
bigger relatives may have lingered longer.
The mid to late
1800s produced many reports of large birds seen in isolated areas of
bush; this was a period of exploration as areas were opened up for
settlement. Many of the reports centred on the South Island as gold
prospectors and surveyors pushed into the isolated interior.
One of the most interesting reports of this exploration period involves
a confrontation between a sheep dog and a Moa. The Moa turned on the
dog after being pursued. Once the dog backed off, The Moa was seen to
bob its head up and down in the direction of the dog in what appeared
to be a possible threat posture.
Reports in 1931 and 1960
record large birds in the South Island, and in 1989 a pair of birds
were sighted by some trampers [bushwalkers], once again in the South
Island. All reports involve the large species of Moa.
In 1990 there were several sightings of large Birds, in the Arthur’s Pass area, and tracks were found on two occasions. [BB]
The most recent sighting however caught world media attention. On
January 20 1993 three companions, Paddy Freaney, Sam Waby and Rochelle
Rafferty were tramping in the Craigieburn Range. Mr. Waby stopped at a
stream for a drink. Paddy Freaney’s attention was drawn to a large bird
nearby watching them. Freaney drew the attention of his companions to
the bird, which then panicked and fled. Freaney gave chase with camera
in hand and at an estimated 35 metres got the now famous photo of the
bird; he also discovered and photographed, after loosing sight of it,
wet bird footprints on a rock.
These photographs were shown to
a Department of Conservation Officer who expressed the opinion that the
bird looked very much like Megapteryx didinus, a sub-alpine species of
moa know to have inhabited the South Island.
Computer analysis
was carried out on the photo by Canterbury University. Specialists at
the University expressed the view that the photo was of a genuine large
bird and not some prop stage to look like one. Deer and other
four-footed animals were also ruled out.
To add to the weight
of evidence in support of the photo being genuine, the following year,
1994, a doctor was tramping in the same area the photo was taken. He
came across browsing damage that was consistent with what is known of
Moa feeding habits.
In light of the evidence the Department of
Conservation made no move to follow up on what surely would have been
the find of the century.
Is the Moa extinct?
Perhaps
in some of New Zealand’s isolated areas - and there are still a few -
the species may still hold a tenuous grasp on existence. The sad fact
is if it was discovered how easy it would be to finish what was started
in those Maori middens hundreds of years ago.
Tags:
nature birds moa 
