Creature
Fast Facts
Introducing you to extinct species.

THE

LAUGHING OWL/

WHEKAU

1. The laughing owl/whekau, Ninox albifacies, got its name because of its unique call that mimicked a human laughing in a series of short shrieks and barks. 2. It lived on both islands of New Zealand, though the subspecies found in the southern island was larger. 3. The laughing owl was plentiful when first described in 1845. 4. They preferred to hunt at night on the ground and would hide in the rocks. 5. According to ornithologist Sir Walter Buller, the owls always came when music was played, especially the accordion. 6. In the 1870's, several captive specimens were kept in Britain and were said to be great pets as they never fought being handled. 7. They had orange colored eyes. 8. It was 15.5 inches long & weighed 1.3 pounds. 9. According to owl pellet analysis, the laughing owl ate geckos, small birds, bats, and even fish. They switched to eating rats that were brought by explorers. 10. They nested on the ground. The male fed the female while she sat on the two eggs for 25 days. 11. The last laughing owl died of natural causes on July 5, 1914. 12. The kakapo, also known as the "owl parrot" is a critically endangered flightless parrot of New Zealand that was able to barely survive the arrival of stoats and cats. Scientists have moved all remaining 252 kakapo to small, predator free islands to help them avoid extinction.

Extinction
Cometh
Facing the light at the end of the tunnel

EXTINCTION DATE

July 5, 1914

The laughing owl's extinction story runs parallel to that of many extinct New Zealand birds. When the Maori people first arrived in New Zealand they accidentally brought the Pacific rats with them. These rats could breed quickly and rapidly brought swift changes to the North & South Islands. The invasive rats affected many smaller species in New Zealand, but the laughing owl was able to adapt its diet to eat the rats. The introduction of rabbits for food and sport in the 1830's in New Zealand marked the beginning of the end of the laughing owl. The rabbit population quickly got out of control, and people brought in stoats (weasels), ferrets, & cats to help control the rabbit population. Australia was facing a similar situation as the "grey blanket" of rabbits wreaked havoc there too. The stoats and cats began attacking native species like the laughing owl which nested on the ground or in rock formations. The laughing owls were also found to be affected by a bird lice of the genus Strigiphilus. During the population decline in New Zealand, several laughing owls were being kept in captivity in Britain. They were very tame, and one keeper, G. D. Rowley said they would have made excellent pets because of their "gentle temperament". The problem was that none of the captive specimens were being bred, so these individuals could not be used to help rebuild the decimated native population. The last laughing owl was found dead on July 5, 1914 at Bluecliffs Station in Canterbury, New Zealand. Could the laughing owl live in New Zealand today? Although Jurassic Park is fiction, scientists are working on several de-extinction projects. In fact, in 2003 scientists did bring back the extinct Pyrenean ibex, a type of wild goat, for 7 minutes before it died, showing de-extinction is possible. The laughing owl would be a great candidate. Scientists would use DNA from one of the 57 specimens or 17 eggs. New Zealand has made many strides in restoring natural habitats, eliminating invasive species, and helping struggling species recover. The work with the critically endangered kakapo may be a good road map for reintroducing the laughing owl. The remaining kakapo have been relocated to several small islands in New Zealand where the rats, stoats, and cats have been eliminated. The current kakapo population is 252. If the laughing owl was brought back to life, could it ever be reintroduced to its native homeland in New Zealand or would it have to be kept in captivity or as a gentle temperamented pet?