List of New Zealand species extinct in the Holocene facts for kids

New Zealand is located in the South Pacific Ocean.

The North Island giant moa was one of many bird species that disappeared after people arrived in New Zealand.

This article lists animals and plants that have become extinct in New Zealand during the Holocene epoch. This is a long period of time that started about 11,650 years ago and continues to this day.

New Zealand has two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, plus many smaller ones like Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, and the Kermadec Islands. This list focuses only on species from these islands, not the wider Realm of New Zealand.

New Zealand was one of the last places on Earth settled by humans. The first people to arrive were the Māori people, who came from other parts of Polynesia between 1280 and 1350 CE. Later, in 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to visit. Then, in 1769, the British explorer James Cook mapped New Zealand and met the Māori. More European settlers arrived, and by 1881, their population grew very quickly.

Many species have disappeared from New Zealand because of human activities. When the Māori arrived, they hunted animals and cleared forests, which led to extinctions. They also brought Polynesian rats and kurī (a type of dog). Before humans, bats were the only land mammals in New Zealand. These new animals, especially rats, caused problems for native species.

Later, European settlers also hunted native animals and destroyed their homes. They brought even more new animals, like black rats, brown rats, cats, stoats, and common brushtail possums. These new animals often hunted or competed with New Zealand's unique native wildlife, leading to more extinctions.

This list only includes native New Zealand species that have become extinct. It does not include animals like the kurī, which were brought by humans.

Mammals

Bats

New Zealand short-tailed bats

Possibly extinct

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
New Zealand greater short-tailed bat	Mystacina robusta	North and South Island	This bat was once common across both main islands. It disappeared from the mainland likely due to Polynesian rats. By the time Europeans arrived, it only lived on a few small islands. It hasn't been seen since 1967, after black rats were introduced to its last known home.

Carnivorans

Eared seals

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
New Zealand sea lion	Phocarctos hookeri 'NZ'	Coastal North and South Island	This type of New Zealand sea lion used to live all over the North and South Islands. The Māori hunted it to extinction within a few hundred years of their arrival. After that, sea lions from the subantarctic islands moved to Stewart Island and the South Island's coast.
Chatham Islands sea lion	Phocarctos hookeri 'Chathams'	Chatham Islands	This sea lion disappeared from the Chatham Islands between 1450 and 1650 CE. It was hunted too much by the Moriori people.

Birds

Moa

Giant moa

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
North Island giant moa	Dinornis novaezealandiae	North Island and Great Barrier Island	This large bird was hunted to extinction by the Māori. The most recent bones found are from around 1286-1390 CE. Polynesian dogs might have also eaten moa chicks.
South Island giant moa	Dinornis robustus	South Island, Stewart Island, and D'Urville Island	This moa was also heavily hunted by the Māori. Many of its bones are found in Māori cooking sites. It might have been the last moa species to disappear, possibly around 1558-1728 CE. Fires set by humans also destroyed their forest homes.

Lesser moa

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Bush moa	Anomalopteryx didiformis	North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island	This moa was hunted to extinction by the Māori. Its last known bones are from around 1310-1420 CE. Polynesian dogs may have also eaten its chicks.
Eastern moa	Emeus crassus	South Island	This moa was a common food source for the Māori. Its bones and eggshells are found in many ancient rubbish heaps. It disappeared due to overhunting and habitat loss from fires.
Broad-billed moa	Euryapteryx curtus	North, South, Stewart, and Great Barrier Island	This moa was also widely hunted by the Māori. Its bones are found with tools used to prepare them. It might have been one of the last moa species to survive, possibly until 1464-1637 CE. Fires also reduced its forest and shrubland habitat.
Heavy-footed moa	Pachyornis elephantopus	South Island and Stewart Island	Overhunting by the Māori was the main reason this moa disappeared. Its last bones are from around 1294-1438 CE. Fires also destroyed its dry forest and shrubland homes.
Mantell's moa	Pachyornis geranoides	North Island	This moa was hunted to extinction by the Māori. Its last remains are from around 1278-1415 CE. Polynesian dogs might have also eaten its chicks.
Crested moa	Pachyornis australis	South Island	This moa lived in high mountain areas. It was thought to have disappeared much earlier, but a skeleton found was dated to 1396–1442 CE. Overhunting by humans was likely the cause of its extinction.

Upland moa

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Upland moa	Megalapteryx didinus	South Island	This moa was hunted by the Māori, and its bones are found in their ancient cooking sites. It disappeared around 1300-1422 CE. Polynesian dogs may have also killed its chicks.

Landfowl

Megapodes

Pheasants and allies

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
New Zealand quail	Coturnix novaezelandidae	North Island, South Island, and Great Barrier Island	This quail became extinct around 1875. The exact reason is not known, but diseases from other animals might have played a role.

Waterfowl

Ducks, geese, and swans

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Chatham duck	Anas chathamica	Chatham Islands	This large, flightless duck likely became extinct due to overhunting by the Polynesian settlers around 1350 CE.
New Zealand musk duck	Biziura delautouri	North Island and South Island	Hunting was the most likely cause of this duck's extinction, which happened before Europeans arrived. A bone was found in an ancient food midden.
Finsch's duck	Chenonetta finschi	North Island and South Island	This duck became extinct in the 16th century. It was hunted by humans and also preyed upon by Polynesian rats.
South Island goose	Cnemiornis calcitrans	South Island	Early Polynesian settlers hunted this goose, and its bones are found in many ancient rubbish sites. Overhunting was the most likely cause of its extinction, probably in the 16th century.
North Island goose	Cnemiornis gracilis	North Island	This flightless goose likely survived until the Māori arrived around 1280 CE. Any flightless goose would have been very easy to hunt.
Chatham Islands swan	Cygnus sumnerensis chathamicus	Chatham Islands	The Moriori people likely hunted this swan to extinction before 1650 CE.
New Zealand swan	Cygnus sumnerensis sumnerensis	South Island	This swan was hunted by early Polynesian settlers and likely disappeared before 1450 CE. Its bones are found in ancient Māori sites. It was once thought to be the same as the Australian black swan, but DNA studies show they are different species.
Scarlett's duck	Malacorhynchus scarletti	North Island, South Island, and Chatham Islands	This duck became extinct after the Māori arrived. It was hunted, and its nests were likely attacked by Polynesian rats.
New Zealand merganser	Mergus australis	Auckland Islands, North Island, South Island, Stewart Island	By the time Europeans arrived, this duck only lived on the Auckland Islands. It was last seen in 1902. It became extinct due to hunting and predators like rats and cats.
Chatham Island merganser	Mergus milleneri	Chatham Island	This duck is only known from bones found in ancient rubbish heaps. Hunting was the most likely cause of its extinction.
New Zealand stiff-tailed duck	Oxyura vantetsi	North Island and South Island	This duck became extinct before Europeans arrived. Hunting was the most likely cause.
Chatham Islands shelduck	Tadorna cf. variegata	Chatham Islands	This unnamed type of shelduck was wiped out by the first Polynesian settlers on the Chatham Islands.

Owlet-nightjars

Owlet-nightjars

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
New Zealand owlet-nightjar	Aegotheles novazelandiae	North Island and South Island	This bird likely survived until the Māori arrived in the 13th century. It was probably driven to extinction by Polynesian rats, as it was not hunted by humans.

Pigeons and doves

Pigeons and doves

Rails and cranes

Adzebills

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
South Island adzebill	Aptornis defossor	South Island	Early Polynesian settlers hunted this bird, and its bones are found in their ancient sites. This was the most likely cause of its extinction. Polynesian rats might have also raided its nests.
North Island adzebill	Aptornis otidiformis	North Island	This bird was also hunted by early Polynesian settlers, which was the most likely cause of its extinction. Polynesian rats might have also raided its nests.

Rails

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Chatham rail	Cabalus modestus	Chatham Islands	This rail was last seen between 1893 and 1895. It became extinct due to its habitat being destroyed and from competition and attacks by new animals brought by humans.
Snipe-rail	Capellirallus karamu	North Island	This rail was once common but its numbers dropped sharply after the Māori arrived, likely due to fires changing its forest home. However, Polynesian rats were probably the main reason for its extinction.
Hawkins's rail	Diaphorapteryx hawkinsi	Chatham Islands	This rail was last recorded in 1895. It was hunted to extinction.
Chatham coot	Fulica chathamensis	Chatham Island	This coot likely became extinct due to overhunting and Polynesian rats eating its eggs and chicks. Its bones are common in ancient rubbish heaps, showing it was often eaten.
New Zealand coot	Fulica prisca	North Island and South Island	This coot became extinct due to overhunting by early Māori. Its bones are found in ancient sites, and some were even made into tools. New predators might have also raided its nests.
Dieffenbach's rail	Hypotaenidia dieffenbachii	Chatham Islands	This rail was last collected in 1840. It was probably driven to extinction by new predators and habitat loss from fires.
North Island takahē	Porphyrio mantelli	North Island	This bird lived in high grasslands. Its numbers decreased as forests grew, but it survived until hunting by the Māori drove it to extinction.
Hodgens' waterhen	Tribonyx hodgenorum	North Island and South Island	This waterhen disappeared in the 17th century because of hunting and attacks by Polynesian rats.

Shorebirds

Sandpipers

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
North Island snipe	Coenocorypha barrierensis	Little Barrier Island, Browns Island (disputed), and North Island	This snipe was found across the North Island. It likely became extinct due to Polynesian rats on the main island and wild cats on smaller islands.
Forbes's snipe	Coenocorypha chathamica	Chatham Island and Pitt Island	This snipe likely disappeared from Chatham Island due to Polynesian rats and from Pitt Island due to wild cats.
South Island snipe	Coenocorypha iredalei	South Island, Stewart Island, Jacky Lee Island, Big South Cape Island, and possibly other offshore islands	This snipe disappeared from larger islands due to Polynesian rats and from smaller ones due to black rats. The last group on Big South Cape Island vanished in 1964.

Albatrosses and petrels

Petrels and shearwaters

Penguins

Penguins

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Chatham penguin	Eudyptes warhami	Chatham Islands, North Island, and South Island	This penguin likely became extinct before Europeans arrived in the Chatham Islands.
Richdale's penguin	Megadyptes antipodes richdalei	Chatham Islands	This penguin was hunted to extinction. It was last recorded after the 13th century.
Waitaha penguin	Megadyptes antipodes waitaha	North Island, South Island, Stewart Island, and Codfish Island	Early Polynesian settlers hunted this penguin. This, along with possible attacks by Polynesian rats and dogs, likely caused its extinction. After it disappeared, a different type of yellow-eyed penguin moved to Stewart Island and parts of the South Island.

Boobies, cormorants, and allies

Cormorants and shags

Pelicans, herons, and ibises

Herons

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
New Zealand bittern	Ixobrychus novaezelandiae	South Island, North Island and Chatham Island	This bittern was last definitely seen in the mid-1890s. Its decline might have been due to brown rats and wild cats spreading across New Zealand. Its final disappearance happened when stoats expanded their range, just before wetlands were drained for farms.

Hawks and relatives

Hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Eyles's harrier	Circus teauteensis	North Island and South Island	This harrier likely survived until the Māori arrived around 1280 CE. Its forest home was burned and replaced with grasslands. Polynesian rats reduced its prey, and humans hunted it, even using its bones for tools. Rats and dogs might have also eaten its chicks.
Haast's eagle	Hieraaetus moorei	South Island and Stewart Island	This giant eagle became extinct around the same time as all the moa species. The main reason was likely that its main food source, the moa, was overhunted. Loss of its forest home from fires also reduced its prey. Humans also hunted the eagle, and its bones were used for tools. Wild pigs and rats might have raided its nests.

Owls

True owls

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Laughing owl	Ninox albifacies	North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island	This owl was common in the South Island in the mid-1800s but quickly declined. The last specimen was collected in 1914, and it was likely extinct by 1940. Its rapid decline was caused by stoats, ferrets, and weasels, which were brought to New Zealand to control rabbits, as well as wild cats.

Parrots

Kea and kākā

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Chatham kākā	Nestor chathamensis	Chatham Islands	This parrot became extinct between the 13th and 16th centuries. This was possibly due to its forest home being destroyed, hunting, and attacks by Polynesian rats.

Old World parrots

Perching birds

New Zealand wrens

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Lyall's wren	Traversia lyalli	Stephens Island, North Island, and South Island	This wren disappeared from the main islands after Māori settlement, likely due to habitat loss and Polynesian rats. It survived on Stephens Island until 1895, when it was wiped out by domestic cats.
Bushwren	Xenicus longipes	North Island, South Island, Stewart Island, Kapiti Island, Big South Cape Island, Solomon Island and Pukeweka offshore Stewart Island	This wren has been extinct since 1972. It disappeared due to attacks by wild cats, rats, weasels, and stoats.
North Island stout-legged wren	Pachyplichas jagmi	North Island	This wren became extinct after Māori settlement but before Europeans arrived.
South Island stout-legged wren	Pachyplichas yaldwyni	South Island	This wren became extinct after Māori settlement but before Europeans arrived.
Long-billed wren	Dendroscansor decurvirostris	South Island	This wren became extinct shortly after Māori settlement. Because it couldn't fly and likely nested on the ground, it was easy prey for Polynesian rats.

Honeyeaters

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Chatham bellbird	Anthornis melanocephala	Chatham Islands	This bellbird was last seen on Little Mangere Island in 1906. It was likely wiped out by wild cats, Polynesian rats, and then brown rats. Collecting birds for museums also played a role.

Old World orioles

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
North Island piopio	Turnagra tanagra	North Island	The last known North Island piopio was killed in 1902. It's likely that black rats, brought by humans, were the main cause of its extinction. Stoats also contributed to its final disappearance.
South Island piopio	Turnagra capensis capensis	South Island and some Fiordland islands	This piopio rapidly declined after European settlement, especially after 1870. It was extinct in many areas by the 1880s and 1890s. This happened as black rats and later stoats spread.
Stephens Island piopio	Turnagra capensis minor	Stephens Island	This piopio was last collected in 1897. It became extinct after the island's forest was cleared and cats were brought in by lighthouse keepers.

Crows and relatives

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
New Zealand raven	Corvus antipodum	North Island, South Island, Stewart Island, and Enderby Island	This raven became extinct before Europeans arrived. Its bones found in ancient sites show that humans ate them. They might also have been affected by the rapid disappearance of seals and seabirds after humans arrived.
Chatham raven	Corvus moriorum	Chatham Islands	This raven became extinct before Europeans arrived. Its bones found in ancient sites show that humans ate them. Its extinction might also be linked to humans hunting seals and seabirds on the islands.

New Zealand wattlebirds

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Huia	Heteralocha acutirostris	North Island	The last confirmed sighting of the huia was in 1907, though a few might have survived into the 1920s. Attacks by new mammals and, to a lesser extent, human hunting, were the likely causes of its extinction. Māori traditionally valued huia tail feathers as a sign of status. These feathers became very popular in Britain, leading to many huia being collected and exported. Protection efforts in the 1890s were not well enforced.

Possibly extinct, New Zealand wattlebirds

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
South Island kōkako	Callaeas cinereus	South Island Stewart Island, and offshore islands	The main reasons for this bird's decline were attacks by black rats, cats, stoats, and weasels. It was noted to be rapidly disappearing by 1889. Unlike its North Island relative, the South Island kōkako spent more time feeding and nesting closer to the ground, making it more vulnerable. Māori traditionally hunted them, and many were killed for sale to European collectors. Although declared extinct in 2008, its status was changed to "data deficient" in 2013 after a possible sighting in 2007. Other unconfirmed sightings have occurred since.

Grassbirds and allies

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Chatham fernbird	Poodytes rufescens	Chatham Islands	This fernbird was likely wiped out on Chatham Island by Polynesian rats or by cats in the 19th century. On its last home, Mangere Island, the last birds were collected in 1895, shortly after cats were released there to control rabbits.

Reptiles

Squamates

Skinks

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Northland skink	Oligosoma northlandi	Northland Region, North Island	This skink was much larger than New Zealand's living skinks. It is considered extinct and is only known from ancient fossil remains. Two other large skinks also lived in Northland but are now only found on offshore islands.

Amphibians

Frogs

New Zealand primitive frogs

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Aurora frog	Leiopelma auroraensis	Fiordland, South Island	This frog is known from fossil bones. It likely disappeared within the last 1,000 years due to attacks by the Polynesian rat.
Markham's frog	Leiopelma markhami	North Island and South Island	This frog was last recorded around 1650 CE. It likely disappeared due to attacks by the Polynesian rat.
Waitomo frog	Leiopelma waitomoensis	North Island	This frog was last recorded around 220-320 CE, but likely survived until the last 1,000 years. It probably disappeared due to attacks by the Polynesian rat.

Ray-finned fish

Smelts

Australia-New Zealand smelts and graylings

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
New Zealand grayling	Prototroctes oxyrhynchus	North Island and South Island	This fish was common in the 1860s but its numbers quickly dropped by the late 1870s. By the 1920s, it was only found in a few streams. The extinction was likely due to several reasons: too much fishing, its freshwater home being damaged by forest clearing (which made the water warmer and brighter), and new fish species like salmon.

Insects

Beetles

Ground beetles

Clitellates

Order Opisthopora

Family Megascolecidae

Plants

Order Brassicales

Mustard and crucifer family

Order Santalales

Showy mistletoes

Common name	Scientific name	Range	Comments	Pictures
Adams mistletoe	Trilepidea adamsii	From the Waipoua River to the Waikato and Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island; Great Barrier Island, and Waiheke Island	This plant was last collected in 1954. Its extinction was likely caused by habitat loss, too much collecting, loss of animals that spread its seeds or help it reproduce, and possums eating it.

Order Caryophyllales

Pink and carnation family

Order Gentianales

Family Loganiaceae

Order Boraginales

Borage and forget-me-not family

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See also

• Holocene extinction
• Lists of extinct animals
• List of extinct bird species since 1500