Southland moa bones up for sale for $1000
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Moa bones said to be found in a Southland peat bog are listed on Trade Me for a starting price of $1000.
The listing says the leg and toe bones were dug out from a peat bog in Southland within the past year.
They have been described as being in good condition, but very fragile.
The price tag is to help a struggling student, the listing says.
The seller said he did not want to discuss where exactly he found the bones in Southland.
He said he was concerned publicity would lead to more people looking for moa bones.
There was quite a few laws around selling them, but he said he was working within them.
Although unusual, Trade Me says selling the bones is acceptable provided the seller follows some general rules.
It is illegal to sell bones found on Department of Conservation land or an archaeological site.
However, the seller says they found the bones on private property.
As a 'protected New Zealand object' the bones cannot be sold overseas, Trade Me says.
However, Waihopai Runanga spokesman Michael Skerrett said it was a bit puzzling that someone would sell moa bones.
'It seems an odd thing to do.'
The bones were linked to history and should be used for research, he said.
'[Selling the bones] can be a loss of information. They can be useful for our past.'
Southland Museum and Art Gallery history curator David Dudfield said peat bogs preserved bones and bodies very well.
Many moa bones have been found in peat bogs in Southland in the past, he said.
Invercargill historian and naturalist Lloyd Esler said he was not in favour of people selling the bones as it might encourage people to dig up historic sites.
People do buy them, particularly if it is a moa skull as they are very rare, he said.
'[$1000] seems grossly excessive to me.'
Fragments of bone and eggs were often found in sand dunes as well, Esler said.
Piles of moa gizzard stones, used to help digest food in their stomachs, are also not uncommon to find, he said.
The auction closes on Friday.
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