Despite an exhaustive search using the most sophisticated detection equipment the "Pegasus" Expedition did not find any living Moa anywhere in New Zealand. It was concluded that, unfortunately, the species had been hunted to extinction by the Maori by around 1450. Below - Moa Skull photographed by electron spectroscope (chick of the South Island Giant Moa ( Dinornis robustus ), found in the midden of a pa beside Lake Never Never - Fiordland): Below - Moa Egg - South Island Giant Moa ( Dinornis robustus ) Found floating in a small lake beneath the mountain "Lady of the Snows" - NW Fiordland: Moa eggs varied in size according to the species - the largest (above) being over 30cm tall. All Moa eggs had extremely thin shells, which made them easy pickings for the Polynesian rat (kiore) which accompanied the Maori migrations. Since the Moa were slow-breeding and only laid one egg at a time, aggressive egg predation greatly hastened their extinction....
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