Moa - The Life and Death of New Zealand's Legendary Bird

Nelson: Potton & Burton. Near Fine in Near Fine dust jacket. (2021). First Edition. Hardcover. 1877517844 . No signatures. Dust-jacket protected in archival mylar cover. ; 2021 reprint of a title first published in 2021. 300 pages. Illustrated boards. Page dimensions: 249 x 219mm. Numerous illustrations. This title was winner of the 2013 Science Book Prize, The Royal Society of New Zealand. "The moa were the most unusual and unique family of birds that ever lived, a clan of feathered monsters that developed in isolation for many, many millions of years. They became extinct reasonably quickly after the arrival of the Maori, and were a distant memory by the time European explorers arrived. So the discovery and identification of their bones in the 1840s was a worldwide sensation, claimed by many to be the zoological find of the century. This book begins by recounting the story of discovery, which was characterised by an unbelievable amount of controversy and intrigue. Since then there has been an unbroken chain of new discoveries, culminating with intriguing revelations in recent years about the moa's biology, that have come to light through DNA testing and radio-dating. This is a fascinating and important book that richly recounts the life and death of our strangest bird. Packed with a fantastic range of illustrations, 'Moa' fills an important gap in our natural history literature, a popular but serious book on this national icon." .