New research reveals that the extinction of New Zealand’s giant, flightless moa was inevitable after human arrival.
Using fossil evidence and advanced computer models, scientists found that hunting and egg harvesting drove the birds to extinction within just a few centuries. The only way moa could have survived would have been through massive no-harvest zones covering more than half of New Zealand—an impractical solution given the social structures and subsistence needs of early Polynesian settlers.
Unraveling the Mystery of Moa Extinction
A new study published in Science of the Total Environment combines fossil evidence and advanced computer modeling to investigate the extinction of six moa species and whether their disappearance could have been prevented.
Lead researcher Dr. Sean Tomlinson, from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences, conducted the study while at the University of Adelaide. He explains that moa extinctions were driven by sustained hunting and egg harvesting by early human settlers.
“Arrival of people in New Zealand more than 600 years ago caused one of the largest and most rapid losses of native species across the Pacific. The iconic moa were giant, flightless birds that disappeared within 100 to 300 years after human arrival,” Dr. Tomlinson said.
Could Moa Have Survived?
“Using information from fossils and high-performance computing, we show that these extinctions were likely to have been an unavoidable consequence of human colonization of New Zealand.
“Our modeling suggests that the only way moa could have co-existed with humans is if large ‘no-take’ harvest zones had covered more than 50 percent of New Zealand’s land area. This would have been extremely difficult to implement given the social structures of Polynesian colonists, and their reliance on wild food sources, particularly in southern New Zealand.”
Lessons for Today’s Endangered Species
Co-author Associate Professor Damien Fordham, from the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute, said that although it’s too late for moa, these insights provide valuable lessons to conserve and protect today’s endangered large bodied species.
“Our findings suggest that today’s large, flightless birds, such as kiwi and cassowary, probably require much bigger conservation areas that include pristine habitats that are least impacted by humanity,” Dr. Fordham said.
“This new research shows that extinct species can offer crucial insights to help guide conservation efforts for New Zealand’s remaining flightless birds.”
Reference: “Was extinction of New Zealand’s avian megafauna an unavoidable consequence of human arrival?” by Sean Tomlinson, Mark V. Lomolino, Jamie R. Wood, Atholl Anderson, George L.W. Perry, Janet M. Wilmshurst, Jeremy J. Austin and Damien A. Fordham, 24 January 2025, Science of The Total Environment.
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178471
The paper was co-authored by researchers from the University of Adelaide, State University of New York, Australian National University, University of Auckland, and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.
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6 Comments
What? The Noble Savage living in Harmony with Mother Nature ate the Moa to death? Who’d a thunk it!
Russell Price unearthed evidence of Moa hunting before the Maori migration. Lake Pukawa in the Hawkes Bay was the site of this digging. There has been a similar dig in Taihape.
Patupaiahere or Turehu aka the Fairy people were here before maori.My Te Arawa maori ancesters saw them netting fish at Coromadal stream mouth..more were seen around Rotorua lakes and Mt Ngongotaha..(. White skin and Red Hair..) But dont tell Maori that….as They were here first…hahaha.but they were being hunted by the Giant Eagle aka Haast Eagles..Hatupatu was on Te Arawa waka.he was Chased by a Bird Woman..aka Haast eagle.
The report perpetuates what is known as the blitzkreig theory of extinction. Promoted by colonising scientist who correlate the loss of bird species to the arrival of maori. No where in the article does it address the decline of multiple bird species that occurred due to Glaciation between 5000 and 3000 years ago which basically removed the Moas main food source and scientific evidence of significant climate change over 2000 years before the arrival of any humans which contributed to their demise. The first humans merely sped up the extinction of a dwindling population of Ratite. Lazy populous science. Poor effort.
Here Here . The Truth needs to be Officially Recognized by the New Zealand Government. Maori must Cease and Desist with their Devisive ever increasing Fictitious Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal Claims. Only then will New Zealand Truely Prosper as a Nation with all Living in Harmony as the Treaty of Waitangi intended.
Moa went extinct because of wholesale and thoughtless slaughter, with no thought given to conservation or the needs of future generations. Egg-bearing females and chicks were slaughtered as indiscriminately as the adult birds.
Times have changed, We humans and our attitudes have changed. This article fails to take into account these factors. Kiwi are being cared for and conserved to the best of our ability and they have huge tracts of uninhabited bush in which to roam.
I wish Socialists would stop trying to wall off humans and other species based on the premise that we don’t care about wildlife.