Moa

Moa Status Extinct (c1500)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Struthioniformes Family: Dinornithidae
Genera
Anomalopteryx Dinornis Emeus Euryapteryx Megalapteryx Pachyornis Ref: Extinct Birds List 2002-07-16

The moa were giant flightless birds of New Zealand. Eleven species are known, of varying sizes, with the largest species, the Giant Moa (Dinornis giganteus), reaching about three metres in height and about 250 kilograms in mass. They were the dominant herbivores in the forest ecosystem.

Moa became extinct around 1500 due to hunting and land clearance after humans arrived in the islands. Before the arrival of humans, some moa were hunted by Harpagornis. The kiwi are regarded as moderately close relatives of the moa. In very recent times, rumors of surviving moa have gone on. There is no proof of any living members, although some cryptozoologists continue to search for one.