New Zealand’s Endangered Birds Find Refuge in Ancient Moa Habitats

Research indicates that New Zealand’s endangered flightless birds inhabit regions once populated by extinct moa, emphasizing the conservation value of these minimally human-impacted areas and introducing a new method for studying island extinctions.

Researchers have discovered that New Zealand’s endangered flightless birds are taking refuge in the same areas where six species of moa were last found before their extinction.

An international team of researchers, led by scientists from the University of Adelaide, used fossils and computer modeling to make the discovery, shedding light on a mystery with important conservation benefits.

“Our research overcame past logistical challenges to trace the population dynamics of six species of moa at resolutions not considered possible before,” said senior author Associate Professor Damien Fordham, from the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute.