An extremely low-density human population exterminated New Zealand moa.
New Zealand moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) are the only late Quaternary megafauna whose extinction was clearly caused by humans. New Zealand offers the best opportunity to estimate the number of people involved in a megafaunal extinction event because, uniquely, both the Polynesian settlement of New Zealand and moa extinction are recent enough to be dated with a high degree of precision. In addition, the founding human population can be estimated from genetic evidence. Here we show that the Polynesian population of New Zealand would not have exceeded 2,000 individuals before extinction of moa populations in the habitable areas of the eastern South Island. During a brief (<150 years) period and at population densities that never exceeded ~0.01 km(-2), Polynesians exterminated viable populations of moa by hunting and removal of habitat. High human population densities are not required in models of megafaunal extinction.
1] Palaecol Research Ltd, PO Box 16569, Christchurch 8042, New Zealand [2] School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
Richard N
RN
Holdaway
1] School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand [2] Centre for Geogenetics, Natural History Museum, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-1350, Denmark.
Morten E
ME
Allentoft
Southern Pacific Archaeological Research, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
Christopher
C
Jacomb
School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
Charlotte L
CL
Oskam
School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
Nancy R
NR
Beavan
Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia.
Michael
M
Bunce
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D017753:Ecosystem; D053476:Extinction, Biological; D005580:Fossils; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049691:History, Medieval; D006802:Human Activities / Q000266:history*; D009520:New Zealand; D011114:Polynesia / Q000208:ethnology; D011156:Population Density; D011235:Predatory Behavior