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The Mooruk, in the Gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park, 1858. Creator: Unknown
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The Mooruk, in the Gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park, 1858. Creator: Unknown
The Mooruk, in the Gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park, 1858. The mooruk is a bird of the same order as the ostrich, rhea, emu, and cassowary; the wings are abortive, that is to say, so short as to be useless for flight...This cassowary...was taken in New Caledonia...One of the calls made by the bird is "Mooruk", and hence its native name. It is smaller than the cassowary, and wants the horny casque, or helmet, on the head...this, with the greatly-reduced turkey-neck wattles, gives it the look of a young bird, and imparts what you may call a demi-semi-idiotic look to the head, reminding one somewhat of portraits of those wanting brains. It may be, after all, only a young cassowary, and time may develop his bony crest. The great interest of the bird is to the student the development of our knowledge of geographical distribution. If the Casuarius Bennettii, for so Mr. Gould has named it, be a distinct species, it shows that small islands have had large species assigned to them with a limited range...This mooruk may be "the last of the mooruks" just as there was a last dodo, and as there may be a last giraffe'. From "Illustrated London News", 1858
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Feather Feathers Flightless Bird Gould John John Gould London Zoo Plumage Rare Wildlife Zoological Garden Zoological Gardens Cassowary
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EDITORS COMMENTS
The Mooruk: A Rare Avian Discovery in the Gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park, 1858 This photograph captures the enigmatic figure of the Mooruk, an intriguing avian species discovered in the Gardens of the Zoological Society in Regent's Park, London, in 1858. The Mooruk, a bird of the same order as the ostrich, rhea, emu, and cassowary, is distinguished by its abortive wings, which are too short for flight. This particular specimen was brought from New Caledonia, an island nation in the South Pacific. The Mooruk is smaller than its well-known relative, the cassowary, and lacks the distinctive helmet-like casque on its head. Its diminutive size and reduced wattles give it an appearance reminiscent of a young bird, with a somewhat comical, "demi-semi-idiotic" look. However, it is unclear whether this individual is indeed a young cassowary or a distinct species, as the Mooruk's taxonomic status was not yet fully understood at the time. The discovery of the Mooruk held significant implications for the scientific community. Named Casuarius Bennettii by Mr. Gould, this bird represented the potential existence of large, distinct species on small islands with limited ranges. The Mooruk may have been a harbinger of further discoveries, much like the dodo or the last giraffe. This photograph serves as a testament to the fascination and wonder that the natural world continues to inspire, even as we strive to unravel its mysteries.
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