Although the North Island snipe & the South Island snipe were both unique separate species, their extinction stories run 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. Some birds adapted better than others, but these two snipes could not survive. The North Island & South Island snipes only laid one egg per year which both parents raised. This fact caused their numbers to decline quickly, and they could not recover. The Maori also brought wekas to the islands. The weka is a chicken sized bird that would also feast on the snipes and their eggs. No one knows the exact extinction date of the North Island snipe since it was only observed in 1870, but many efforts were made to save the South Island snipe from extinction. The accidental introduction of black rats to Big South Cape Island began to wipe out the last remaining population of South Island snipes. On August 30, 1964 two South Island snipe males were captured and taken to an aviary in hopes of relocating them to a rat-free island. Both birds died two days after their capture because they require constant feeding. The South Island snipes went extinct around 1964 as no more birds could be found to relocate to another island. Could the North Island & South Island snipes 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 North Island & South Island snipes could both be a candidate, but scientists would only have 1 specimen of the North Island snipe and 3 specimens of the South Island snipe. New Zealand has made many strides in restoring natural habitats, eliminating invasive species, and helping struggling species recover. In fact on April 16, 2005 the New Zealand Department of Conservation did successfully relocate 30 Snares snipes to the now rat-free Putauhinu Island. If the North Island & South Island snipes were brought to life, could they ever be reintroduced to its native homelands in New Zealand?