Lost Worlds: New Zealand (Part 1)

Intro 0:00
The Fate of Mesozoic Zelandia 2:47
Zealandia Rises Again 5:33
Miocene New Zealand 8:11
Land of the Birds 11:57
Conclusion 14:13

#paleoanalysis #newzealand #moa #paleontology
It's FINALLY time for the next installment in the Lost Worlds series! This time we will be travelling to the other half of what's left of Zealandia! The eighth lost continent that was once completely lost under the sea. Following the extinction of the non avian dinosaurs, a small ruminant of the landmass rose above sea-level and became a new home for whatever new organisms could make it there. it is for that reason that nearly 90% of the native fauna on New Zealand are birds.

This will be the first in a two part video series. In this episode, I talk about the history of this island chain and the animals that evolved from the sparse remains of the dinosaurs that once lived here to the birds that exploded in diversity after the islands re immerged from the Pacific Ocean!

If you want to learn more about the amazing avian fauna of New Zealand, check out the fantastic series by Henry the Paleoguy! Called New Zealand Bird of the Week!

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[HenrythePaleoGuy]

Awesome video man!
I really appreciate the shoutout. It's been a very long and often arduous journey, but it's all been worth it, especially seeing other creators like you making it big covering content we enjoy covering so much. :) Looking forward to the next part!

[ladypangaea]

As a New Zealander, I always get excited whenever people discuss the wildlife from here, both extant and extinct. I love the amount of research you've done so far and already can't wait for part two. *Little Eagle Foreshadowing* 😉

[billyr]

We strangely found a land mammal fossil in new Zealand, but we have no clue how it got there.

[Xo-]

To think that both New Zealand and New Caledonia are just mountains popping up from a submerged continent. Wonder what everything could look if it was less submerged and a bit further from Australia.

[felixschrider]

to clarify an apparently global misunderstanding. Zealandia is not a sunken continent. it is a rising continent.
the vast majority of it has never been above sea-level. even some scientific papers seem to claim that Zealandia is a sinking/sunken continent. it is not.
Tectonic plate movements are currently the pacific plate sliding under the Australian plate, in the center of what is currently New Zealand.
furthermore, recent (ish) earthquakes have visibly extended the coastline in places like Kaikoura.
On top of that, here in Whanganui you can visibly see the shelf differences as you travel inland and rise above sea-level.
Finally. New Zealand is commonly accepted to have moved away from Australia about 80 million years ago. at that point the landmass above water was less than 1/10 of its current size. On that small strip of land, there exist numerous fossils and dinosaur bones, including marine reptiles and so on.
Almost everywhere in the country it is not difficult to find elevated sea beds containing fossils of shellfish and so on.

[moblinmajorgeneral]

I honestly can't wait till the next part because it has the Moa and Haast's Eagle in it

[adamthespinygiant]

We’re just glad to know you and TimTim are feeling better. We can’t let anything happen to you two.

[StuffandThings_]

I'm almost certain that New Zealand did not entirely sink. The rifting that broke it away would have for some time provided at least a little warmth in the mantle to keep it afloat, and even today there are some anomalous volcanic fields in the north likely due to some warm bits underneath New Zealand (once again keeping things a bit more afloat). All that drifting would have also caused at the very least a little subduction and uplift. The presence of Ratites, early mammal fossils, all those reptiles, and lots of ancient plants all in this one place make a full sinking pretty unlikely too. The idea of New Zealand being purged of life is just a convenient excuse for how some of the more modern bird groups ended up so successful.

[Xnaut]

Aww, no shoutout for the St. Bathans mammal here. I get that it's extremely obscure and very little is understood about its very meager fossils but the speculation of its phylogeny to other mammals is truly fascinating.

[VayliraKayvex]

Most underrated lost world (besides possibly pre-human Madagascar)

[bethanysmith]

I slightly regret using your past videos to help me fall asleep in the past. But I'm glad I'm listening to this in the evening, your voice is soothing

[logukkkjohnston]

You taught me more about my country than anyone in my country did, we need a part two

[jach]

I think the ancient land species like the tuatara and also plants like Agathis, Podocarpus and Nothofagus make it likely that some little part of Zeelandia must've never sank. Also the St. Bathans Mammal which is I think a Multituberculate so maybe descended from a Zeelandic survivor of the K-Pg extinction.

[brianspendelow]

Excellent video. Looking forward to the follow up and learning more about Haast's Eagle. I hope you also give a mention to my other favorite extinct bird, the Laughing Owl. Like the eagle, it did not go down without a fight. .

[VertMade]

Part 2 please!!!! ❤ I'm a tour guide in New Zealand and this is extremely useful for myself and coworkers, huge thank you for Part 1

[djulianerenbourgh]

Oh, Tim-Tim has survived the Permian and is getting better, great news. And I am really glad to see you back, truly relieving.

[jennawalsh]

Awesome to give a shout out to the person who did this information partly first! Awesome doco too thank you for this I’ve been slowly learning about NZ being the other half of myself.

[maxplanck]

Thanks for your channel, it’s interesting and informative, I like natural history and evolution, this channel educates me and entertains, much appreciated ✌️❤️🇬🇧

[manic]

Ive been voting on Henry PG Bird of the Week for a few years now... endlessly fascinating. Excellent video can't wait for part 2...

[bogansguidetotheworld]

It's videos like this that make me proud to be a New Zealander, thank you for this! I look forward to part 2, then 3 then 4 and then 5!