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The Moa
Up to 2.5m in height the moa, dinornis maximus must have been
one of the most spectacular sights in early Aotearoa. From the time of
the first Maori settlements in the around 700A.D. to shortly before
European settlement, the moa provided a plentiful supply of
food.
Although there were some 24 species of moa, ranging from the
size of a turkey on up, excessive exploitation as a food source led to
their extinction. Intact feather, bone and skin samples still exist,
though, and active research is being carried out to read the moa
genome, giving hope for their eventual return.
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