Scientists Explored Island Cave, Found 1 Million-Year-Old Remnants a Lost World

Source: Slashdot

Discovery

A spectacular trove of fossils discovered in a cave on New Zealand’s North Island has given scientists their first glimpse of ancient forest species that lived there more than a million years ago, reports Popular Mechanics.

The fossils represent 12 ancient bird species and four frog species, including several previously unknown bird species. Together, they paint a picture of an ancient world that looks drastically different from today. The discovery also fills an important gap in scientific understanding of the patterns of extinction that preceded human arrival in New Zealand 750 years ago.

Study Publication

The team published a study on the find in Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology.

Lead Author Statement

Trevor Worthy, lead study author and associate professor at Flinders University, said in a statement:

“This remarkable find suggests our ancient forests were once home to a diverse group of birds that did not survive the next million years…

For decades, the extinction of New Zealand’s birds was viewed primarily through the lens of human arrival 750 years ago. This study proves that natural forces like super‑volcanoes and dramatic climate shifts were already sculpting the unique identity of our wildlife over a million years ago.”

Source: Canterbury Museum

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