What was this ecosystem? New Zealand was once a bird, invertebrate, and reptile dominated paradise, without flightless/terrestrial mammals + few amphibians, up until the settlement of humans, less than a thousand years ago. Upon arrival, people devastated various ecosystems, harvested megafauna into extinction, and introduced invasive dogs and rats that devoured eggs, mature fauna, and offspring. What happened next? The second wave of human arrival hunted some other species to extinction, introduced invasive cats, mustelids, possums, rabbits, rodents, ungulates, and etc, that sharply cut stressed populations, and reduced more available forest cover that took out already scarce microfauna. What was the tallest bird to ever live? The giant moa stood at the tallest of any bird. It was a herbivore bird that could reach heights of 12 feet and weights of 550 pounds. They also laid some of the largest eggs of any animal that were as big as foot balls. Unlike other species of birds, the moa was one of, if not, the only birds to ever lose their wings. Like their closest relative, they consumed gastroliths + possessed a reversed hallux and robust bill. They had enlarged hindguts, as well, for fermentation. Could we de-extinct the moa? In terms of cloning, this is not possible with birds, and degraded genetic material, because of eggs. But related birds can be edited with the characteristics of the extinct counterpart, which Colossal Biosciences aims to do and recently announced. They also developed artificial eggs that can hold developing chicks outside of a smaller, surrogate egg shell. What can we do now? To save what is left of New Zealand, establishing predator-free islets and sanctuaries is a start for ensuring remaining birds do not go extinct and for future reintroductions of native species. New Zealand geese could possibly be ecologically proxied with the related Cape Barren goose. Birds: • Adzebill • Eyles Harrier • Haast's Eagle • Moa • New Zealand Goose
Conservation: New Zealand De-Extinction: Colossal Biosciences Sprite Work: Ceres4S2D1 Sounds: Scratch
