Moa sighted in Otatara!

After many years since the last moa was sighted on the South Island of New Zealand a sighting was made in Otatara recently!

A group of moa enthusiasts created a living sculpture at the Southland Community Nursery, Otatara on Friday.

The frame was made by Ray Jackson with typical kiwi ingenuity using number 8 wire and then a whole group of people, including visitors from the north east of England set about “clothing” the frame with cabbage tree leaves, native vines and native grasses.

The idea of the moa sculpture had been in the mind of Nursery Manager Chris Rance for quite a few years. “With increasing numbers of school groups and visitors to the Education Centre, the moa will be the focus for telling stories about New Zealand “land of birds” and of the special New Zealand plants that evolved and adapted to moa browsing, such as the iconic lancewood” – she said.

The idea of a living sculpture is also to give children the chance to add to the sculpture themselves as an activity when they visit.

To see the moa in the making check out the photos below