Historical photograph comparing a kiwi, ostrich, and Dinornis (giant moa), each with its egg.
Posted on 07/02/2009 3:09:07 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Scientists have performed the first DNA-based reconstruction of the giant extinct moa bird, using prehistoric feathers recovered from caves and rock shelters in New Zealand.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide and Landcare Research in New Zealand have identified four different moa species after retrieving ancient DNA from moa feathers believed to be at least 2500 years old.
The giant birds – measuring up to 2.5 metres and weighing 250 kilograms – were the dominant animals in New Zealand’s pre-human environment but were quickly exterminated after the arrival of the Maori around 1280 AD.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Historical photograph comparing a kiwi, ostrich, and Dinornis (giant moa), each with its egg.
A 500 pound chicken—no surprise it didn’t last long once the Maori arrived.
wonder if they tasted like the colonel cooked them? finger likkin good!
Yup, I’ll bet they tasted real good to the Maori’s, so much that, no matter how many they ate, they still wanted some Moa.
Let's hope being finger lickin' good was the only reason for killing them off...
Either you eat chicken, or chicken eat you!
Haast's Eagle hunting moa. (Image courtesy of John Megahan)
Lol!
I remember having some creature like that as a plastic toy when I was a kid. Also the Wooly Mammoth and Giant Sloth Bear. These and the dinosaur toys were made a lot better then.
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YOIKS! I can’t keep up with the chickens!!!
When they ran out, they took canoes looking for more.
When they reached a large group of islands, they were misunderstood, resulting in a war between them and the native islanders.
The islands were named in commemoration of the incident, because they kept saying, "you got sam moa? We want sam moa!"
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