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Scientists open a million-year-old time capsule beneath New Zealand

A million-year-old cave find shows New Zealand’s wildlife was already being reinvented by volcanoes and climate chaos—long before humans arrived.

Date:

March 26, 2026

Source:

Flinders University

Summary:

Deep inside a cave, scientists uncovered fossils from 16 species, including a newfound kākāpō ancestor that may have been able to fly. These remains reveal that New Zealand’s ecosystems were constantly disrupted by volcanic eruptions and rapid climate shifts. Long before humans, waves of extinction and replacement reshaped the islands’ wildlife. It’s a rare window into a missing chapter of natural history.

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Image (AI-generated) of the New Zealand cave. Credit: Paul Scofield (Canterbury Museum)

Scientists from Australia and New Zealand have uncovered ancient animal remains inside a cave near Waitomo on Aotearoa's North Island. The site contains a large collection of fossils dating back about 1 million years, including a previously unknown ancestor of the kākāpō, a large flightless parrot.

The discovery includes fossils from 12 species of birds and four species of frogs, offering a rare glimpse into what New Zealand's ecosystems looked like during that time.

Climate Change and Volcanoes Drove Ancient Extinctions

The findings show that New Zealand's wildlife was heavily shaped by dramatic climate shifts and powerful volcanic eruptions. These natural events led to repeated waves of extinction and the emergence of new species long before humans arrived, according to research published in Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology.

Lead author, Flinders University Associate Professor Trevor Worthy, says the research reveals a previously unknown chapter of the country's biodiversity.

"This is a newly recognized avifauna for New Zealand, one that was replaced by the one humans encountered a million years later," says Associate Professor Worthy, from the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University.

"This remarkable find suggests our ancient forests were once home to a diverse group of birds that did not survive the next million years."

The fossils were examined by paleontologists from Flinders University and Canterbury Museum, working alongside volcanologists Joel Baker from the University of Auckland and Simon Barker of Victoria University of Wellington.

The team estimates that roughly 33-50% of species disappeared in the million years leading up to human arrival in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Co-author and Canterbury Museum Senior Curator of Natural History Dr. Paul Scofield explains that rapid environmental changes were a major factor.

"These extinctions were driven by relatively rapid climate shifts and cataclysmic volcanic eruptions," says Dr. Scofield.

"From our excavations at St Bathans in Central Otago over many years, we have a snapshot of life in Aotearoa between 20 and 16 million years ago. These new findings cast light on the 15 million year period from then to 1 million years ago, which is largely absent from New Zealand's fossil record," says Dr. Scofield.

"This wasn't a missing chapter in New Zealand's ancient history, it was a missing volume."

Ancient Kākāpō Relative May Have Been Able to Fly

Among the most notable discoveries is a newly identified parrot species, Strigops insulaborealis, an ancient relative of the modern kākāpō. While today's kākāpō is known for being heavy and flightless, this earlier species may have had the ability to fly.

Fossil analysis suggests it had weaker legs than the modern bird, indicating it was likely less suited for climbing. Researchers say further study is needed to confirm whether it could truly fly.

The cave also contained fossils of an extinct ancestor of the takahē, helping scientists better understand the evolution of this well-known New Zealand bird. In addition, researchers found an extinct pigeon species closely related to Australian bronzewing pigeons.

"The shifting forest and shrubland habitats forced a reset of the bird populations," adds Dr. Scofield.

"We believe this was a major driver for the evolutionary diversification of birds and other fauna in the North Island."

Volcanic Ash Helps Date the Fossils

Scientists were able to determine the age of the fossils because they were preserved between two distinct layers of volcanic ash inside the cave. One layer dates to an eruption about 1.55 million years ago, while the other comes from a massive eruption around 1 million years ago.

The later eruption likely covered much of the North Island in meters of ash. Although much of that material was eventually washed away, some remained protected within caves. The presence of the older ash layer also indicates that this site is the oldest known cave in the North Island.

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