Jan 2, 2024
A juvenile Giant moa, Dinornis robustus
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Brazil
seen from Australia
seen from Netherlands
seen from Netherlands
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Singapore
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from China
seen from Singapore
seen from T1
seen from Singapore
seen from Hong Kong SAR China
seen from United States
A juvenile Giant moa, Dinornis robustus
South Island Giant Moa (Dinornis robustus)
The south island giant moa was a species of ratite that inhabited the south island of New Zealand/Aotearoa, the Native Island in New Zealand/Aotearoa and the Stewart Island in New Zealand/Aotearoa. The giant moa was a herbivore and fed on twigs, leaves, flowers, berries, seeds, herbs and vines. It seems very likely that their diet consists of vegetation other animals couldn't digest, so that they didn't have to compete with them.
The females were significantly taller than the males with a height of 2 metres in a natural position and a height of 3.6 metres when their necks were fully stretched to get to the leaves of tall trees. The males only reached 2.4 metres when their necks were fully stretched.
The south island giant moa went extinct during the 14./15 century, shortly after the first humans (Maori) inhabited New Zealand/Aotearoa. Because of this, many scientists conclude that humans are a major reason why the giant moa went extinct.
Before the arrival of humans on New Zealand/Aotearoa, the giant moa only had one predator to fear, the Haasts eagle. Since New Zealand/Aotearoa had no herbivorous mammals, the giant moa was the one who replaced them.
As opposed to other ratites who can move very fast like the ostrich or the emu, giant moas moved very slow. Their average speed was between 3.8 and 4.3 kilometers per hour.
Size compared to a human and model of a giant moa:
Note: All models were the giant moa is stretching its neck are not representative of how they looked like in their natural position. They only stretched their necks when trying to reach the leaves of a tree. Usually they foraged the ground for berries, seeds and twigs.
Sources:
Der Südinsel-Riesenmoa war die größte Moa-Art, die je existierte. Er konnte eine Körperhöhe von bis zu 360 cm erreichen. Warum starb er aus?
The larger of the two giant moa species with a very tall, relatively slender body and relatively small, broad, head with a robust decurved b
The South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) is a member of the moa family. It was a ratite and a member of the order Dinornithiformes. Th
Dinornis robustus, now Dinornis novaezealandiae, 25 October 1867
via Auckland City