News in Brief Genetics Giant moa thrived before people reached New Zealand DNA data suggest flightless birds went extinct because of human activity By Tina Hesman Saey March 18, 2014 at 4:55 pm - More than 2 years ago Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Humans probably caused the extinction of giant wingless birds called moa in New Zealand, DNA evidence suggests. Scientists have debated why the several species of moa went extinct about 100 years after Polynesians settled New Zealand around A.D.