Impact on Native Species

In January 1894, a group of settlers arrived at Stephen’s Island, a plot of land off the Northern coast of South Island, New Zealand. It was a very small island with a lighthouse to assist ships through the tricky waters of Marlborough. The settlers set up a village around the lighthouse and made themselves at home. 

A man named David Lyall was the lighthouse keeper and he lived there with his cat, Tibbles. From time-to-time Tibbles would emerge from the dense bush of the island bringing home the day’s hunt. Lyall, was usually capable of identifying the numerous bird species dragged in by the cat, but every now and then Tibbles would present a puzzling bird, a tiny brown bird with stunted wings. He sold and sent samples to specialists and they identified it as unique to NZ. It was likely that Tibbles was having so much luck hunting them because they didn't know to be afraid of cats and also because they couldn't fly... Unfortunately by the time they realised that it was not found anywhere else in NZ it was too late. The poor flightless bird didn't stand a chance against Tibbles who had caught and killed ALL the wrens on the island.

Complete this worksheet about the extinction of the Huia.