Published: January 16, 2019
Skeletons fetch thousands, but sales put swathes of environmental and climate data out of reach of scientists
Archaeologists are begging the New Zealand government to immediately halt the trade in the priceless bones of the extinct moa bird, fearing that millions of years of science is disappearing as entire skeletons are broken up and sold over the internet or smuggled overseas.
Moa, giant flightless birds which stood up to 3.6m tall, were endemic to New Zealand and became extinct about 500-600 years ago. When they were first discovered by Europeans they were considered a scientific marvel and kickstarted a global frenzy, as museums competed to acquire specimens.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2DeyY2Y
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