Humans killed moas new study suggests

[DavidBrown]

A new genetics study shows that moas had healthy populations genetically when humans showed up in New Zealand. This finding suggests that moa species were not undergoing demographic stress due to ecological and/or climate change and their extinction was likely caused be people.

Moas Driven To Extinction By Hunting, Birds' DNA Shows

 

[jay]

I didn't think there was any serious doubt about the human caused extinctions of New Zealands Giants.

 

[Chlidonias]

no, there's never been any doubt (unless one is stuck in the 1900s) but this study is another take on the research. There was some statistical studies done a few years ago using moa growth rate, breeding rate, probably human population level, etc, which suggested that moa were probably extinct less than a century after Maori arrival due to massive overkill.