New Zealand
Rare bird feather auctioned at record price
The extinct Huia bird’s feather has fetched a record price at an auction in New Zealand. photo
© Webb’s/dpa
The Huia has been considered extinct since the beginning of the 20th century. Feathers from the New Zealand bird are in demand – one has now been auctioned off for a record price.
The feather of an extinct New Zealand Huia bird has fetched a Record price achieved. According to the auction house Webb’s, the rare feather was auctioned for 46,521 New Zealand dollars (around 26,200 euros). The record bid also came as a surprise to Webb’s: the value of the brown and white feather had previously been estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 New Zealand dollars.
The Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris), also known as the Lappenhopf in German, was last seen in the Pacific country in 1907 and has been considered extinct ever since.
“Webb’s is pleased to announce this major auction success, which exceeds the previous world record by 450 percent,” the auction house told the German Press Agency. The previous record was NZD 8,400 and was achieved in 2010 for a feather of the same bird species. “We are very pleased that this rare object of natural history has attracted such strong bidding interest,” said Leah Morris, head of the decorative arts department. The feather is a reminder of how fragile ecosystems are and how important it is to protect wildlife.
For the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, Huia feathers were an important symbol. The feathers were used for ceremonial headdresses of chiefs, and were also given away or traded.