Extinction. When species go bye-bye forever, we usually blame things likeclimate change[气候变化],volcanic eruption[火山爆发]orasteroid impact[小行星撞击]. But forthe giant flightless birdsthat onceroamed[漫步;漫游;游荡;闲逛]the Au...
Since European colonisation of Australia in 1788, nine Australian bird species (1.2% of the Australian total) have become extinct, along with 22 subspecies (of 16 species). Consistent with global patterns, Australias island endemic birds have been particularly susceptible, comprising eight of the ...
000 years. Of these, 166 possessed wings that were too weak to fly. Ratites were widespread, so if their numbers weren’t decimated by humans, we’d still share this world with more than 150 flightless bird groups. Unfortunately, as it stands, only 60 of these species ...
and the Australian mainland. The thylacine was relatively shy and nocturnal, with the general appearance of a medium-to-large-size dog, except for its stiff tail and abdominal pouch similar to a kangaroo, and dark transverse stripes that radiated from the top of its back, remi...
TheDodowas a flightless bird found on the island of Mauritius. Its scientific name isRaphus cucullatus. You might have heard about it, as it is often associated with the iconic phrase “dead as a dodo.” European sailors first discovered This species of bird in the late 16th century. The ...
Some of the tiger's genes have already been successfully expressed in a mouse fetus after scientists inserted them into the mouse's genome.6The major project (funded through the Australian Museum) to clone the thylacine, ended after scientists failed to obtain enough DNA to create a DNA library...
Sadly, theAustralian amphibianswere wiped out within a decade of being discovered in1973. But we have exciting news… by taking cells from gastric brooding frogsfrozen in labsyears ago, and inserting them into the eggs of today’s living frogs, scientists hope tobring this super species back ...
Australian emu and cassowary, it is now believed that the tinamous are actually their closest relation. However, the tinamous can fly, unlike the moa. Although the moa typically are depicted standing upright, most likely they held their heads forward. They were able to graze vegetation found bot...
Extensive hunting was one of the prominent factors which led to the extinction of this species from the Australian continent.Back then, wallaby hunting was a popular sport in this region and the local hunters hunted them extensively for trophies. The animal was also hunted in large numbers for ...
The Zealandian Dove is the second pigeon found at the St Bathans fossil site. "Some years ago we described the St Bathans Pigeon, which we believe is a relative of New Zealand's two living native pigeons and to the Australian Topknot Pigeon," says Dr. Paul Scofield from Canterbury Museu...