Pictures taken on Mr. Reeds cellphone, believed to be a giant Moa bird.
These pictures were sent in by John Reeds of Dobson, a small village on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand. The 53-yr old was hunting deer, when he came across the 10-foot-tall flightless bird, apparently grazing.
From John's email:
"At first I thought it was a deer, the colour (sic) was the same. But then it's giant neck sprung up and I just thought- S**T! It's a bloody Moa!"
John's first instinct was to shoot the creature, but instead he reached for his cellphone and manged to get a few pictures before the startled beast sprinted into the forest.
Moas were the dominant herbivores in New Zealand forest, shrubland and sub-alpine ecosystems for thousands of years, and until the arrival of the Maori were hunted only by the giant Haast Eagle. All species are generally believed to have become extinct by 1500 AD, mainly due to hunting by Māori tribesmen. The two largest species reached about 12 ft in height with neck outstretched, and weighed about 510 lb.
John laments that the pictures have made him a laughing stock in the small, rural area.
"I took (the) photos to the Greymouth Star (local paper) and they laughed at me! When I told the missus she asked if I was drinking. No one takes it seriously, but I saw what I saw. It's a big forest out there."
John states that on his future hunting expeditions he will be armed not with a rifle, but a high resolution digital camera and zoom lens.
"The cellphone camera was shocking. Next time I'll be more ready (sic)."
We at Paranorm-O-rama wish John luck, and will keep you posted with any updates.
