Ancient Fossils Uncover Climate-Driven Extinctions in New Zealand

(MENAFN) A team of researchers from Australia and New Zealand has uncovered fossilized remains in a cave near Waitomo on New Zealand’s North Island, offering new insights into how the region’s wildlife evolved under the influence of major climate changes, according to reports.

The study, published in *Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology*, identified fossils belonging to 12 bird species and four species of frogs. The site also holds a large collection of remains dating back roughly one million years, including evidence of a previously unknown ancestor of the kakapo, a large flightless parrot.

The findings indicate that New Zealand’s ecosystem underwent repeated transformations due to significant climate shifts and volcanic activity, leading to cycles of extinction and the emergence of new species long before humans arrived.

Lead researcher Trevor Worthy explained the importance of the discovery, stating: “This is a newly recognized avifauna for New Zealand, one that was replaced by the one humans encountered a million years later.”

The researchers estimate that between 33% and 50% of species vanished in the million years preceding human settlement in Aotearoa New Zealand. They attribute these losses primarily to rapid environmental changes and large-scale volcanic eruptions.

According to the team, the discovery helps address a major gap in the fossil record, providing new understanding of a previously undocumented period in the region’s ecological history.

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