Artist's rendition of a Haast's eagle attacking moa
Description
English: Giant Haast's eagle attacking New Zealand moa
Français : Exemple de co-extinction : Aigle géant de Haast attaquant des Moas de Nouvelle-Zélande ; l'extinction des moas suite à leur chasse (surprédation) par l'homme a entrainé la disparition de cette espèces d'aigle.
Date 2004
Source Ancient DNA Tells Story of Giant Eagle Evolution. PLoS Biol 3(1): e20. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0030020.g001
Author John Megahan
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giant_Haasts_eagle_attacking_New_Zealand_moa.jpg
The Haast's eagle (Harpagornis moorei) is an extinct species of eagle that once lived in the South Island of New Zealand, commonly accepted to be the Pouakai of Maori legend. The species was the largest eagle known to have existed. Its massive size is explained as an evolutionary response to the size of its prey - the flightless moa, the largest of which could weigh 230 kg. Haast's eagle became extinct around 1400, after the moa were hunted to extinction by the first Māori. Order: Accipitriformes, Family: Accipitridae. |
