Age of North Island giant moa ( Dinornis novaezealandiae ) bones found on the forest floor in the Ruahine Range.

During the nineteenth century, multiple discoveries of moa bones lying on the ground surface in exposed situations generated debate about the recentness of moa extinction. Subsequently, clearance of land for agricultural purposes has probably resulted in the destruction of many surface moa bones and such finds are now rare. The recent discovery of a pair of tibiotarsi from a North Island giant moa (Dinornis novaezealandiae) lying on the forest floor at Aorangi Awarua, Ruahine Range, has allowed the age of two surface moa bones to be tested. Both tibiotarsi were AMS radiocarbon dated and returned ages of 681±28 and 721±29 14C years BP. The 2σ calibrated ranges are statistically the same age and suggest that the bones are from one bird that died sometime between AD 1286 and 1390. Although the bones post-date human settlement of New Zealand, they are not anomalously recent. The results show that, given favourable environmental conditions, moa bones can persist in exposed situations for long periods, and do not necessarily reflect survival of moa into relatively recent times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]