KiwiAncestor - home

<h1><a href="https://allaboutkiwi.wikispaces.com/home"><img src="https://kiwiancestor.wikispaces.com/file/view/arrow.png/347620710/arrow.png" alt="" title="" /></a>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<a href="https://futureanimal.wikispaces.com/home"><img src="/file/view/arrrow.png/347620714/arrrow.png" alt="" title="" /></a></h1>
 <a class="wiki_link" href="https://allaboutkiwi.wikispaces.com/home">Kiwi (Modern Animal)</a>------------------------------------------------------------------------------<a class="wiki_link" href="https://futureanimal.wikispaces.com/home">Kiwoa (Future Animal)</a> 
<h1><img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSilWo6v-DpWLqlqYg29rG70zWLX8iRh0DAlkTMuUpuhn_VarmE" alt="Kiwi (left) Moa (right, kiwi's ancestor)" title="Kiwi (left) Moa (right, kiwi's ancestor)" /></h1>
 <h1>Kiwi Ancestor (Moa)</h1>
 The Moa is the ancestor of a kiwi, they both have similar characteristics and are both unique animals in different ways. 
 
General Statistics

<table class="wiki_table">
 <tr>
 <td>Level 
</td>
 <td>Classification 
</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Kingdom 
</td>
 <td>Animalia 
</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Phylum 
</td>
 <td>Chordata 
</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Class 
</td>
 <td>Aves 
</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Order 
</td>
 <td>Struthioniformes 
</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Family 
</td>
 <td>Dinornithidae 
</td>
 </tr>
</table>

<img src="http://kiwi2011.wikispaces.com/file/view/gondwana.jpg/238783189/gondwana.jpg" alt="Location on the Moa" title="Location on the Moa" /> 
Habitat 
Moa were native to New Zealand and they were mainly found on the South Island of New Zealand where it was wet and dark making it an advantage to them when moving around and avoid being seen. Scientists found Moa fossils in caves around the Southern Alps this is because of the enormous size, they will need a massive area for them to rest in and avoid contact with hunters. 
 
<img src="http://kiwi2011.wikispaces.com/file/view/F1_large.jpg/238781433/627x753/F1_large.jpg" alt="Different Species of Moa in New Zealand " title="Different Species of Moa in New Zealand " style="height: 753px; width: 627px;" /> 
Adaptations 
Structural Adaptation 
As shown, the neck of the Moa is really long and flexible making it a great advantage for them in the wild. Because of their long neck, they can see targets or threats coming to them from afar and can flee before their enemies could react. Also they can get food in high areas so they don't need to fight with other animals to have a meal. Moa's bone structure is quite similar to a giraffe and can move around fairly easily. 
 
<img src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSMwM9uNMwJK3YfB12hXlT944KSeovOFJg-ZzFt5Ai52jIX4bs3JA" alt="" title="" style="height: 529px; width: 368px;" /> 
 
Behavioral Adaptation 
The moa is also a nocturnal animal, this behavior not just help it reduce the chance of being hunted down by the Maori, it also reduce the competition for food during the day. 
 
<img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqA2-z83vM8GVcxXnVBFHtTkKXE9uPGdMFUvGrNqgmn7UDiRvDQA" alt="" title="" /> 
Physiological Adaptation 
Introduced species and human activity has lead to major number decline for the moa population and the specie was not able to change for it to survive. Although the moa became nocturnal creatures moving about at night, the Maori outsmarted them and gave continuous attacks making survival for them very harsh therefore leading to extinction. 
 
<img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQvXt-VUTR9LkREPnvXPzM-nsUsDAAzukwBifnIBS0DqpvE6gwAIA" alt="" title="" style="height: 230px; width: 319px;" /> 
 
Extinction Pressure 
The Moa lasted around a century in human presence especially the Maori who kept on over-hunting them for their meat and feathers. Because the Moa is a herbivore, the Maori took advantage of that and strike them head on continuously threatening the Moa population. 
 
<img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTSjkZRCx3x5TRXFTystDAHgffGzfYiP_RM4mxzSN03TcFOBbw45Q" alt="Moa egg (left) kiwi egg (middle) chicken egg (right)" title="Moa egg (left) kiwi egg (middle) chicken egg (right)" /> 
<h1>Bibliography</h1>
 1. Christchruch City Libraries . (2010). Retrieved 6 23, 2012, from NZ birds and animals: <a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Kids/NZBirdsAnimals/Moa/" rel="nofollow">http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Kids/NZBirdsAnimals/Moa/</a> 
 
2. Wikipedia. (2012, 6 12). Retrieved 6 23, 2012, from Moa: <a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moa" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moa</a> 
 
3. Animal Planet. (2012). Retrieved 6 23, 2012, from Moa: http://animals.howstuffworks.com/extinct-animals/mao-info.htm