- Māori hunted the huia for its feathers, which they used for adornments and ceremonial purposes.
- European settlers also actively hunted the birds for their feathers and as scientific specimens.
Habitat Loss:
- The huia's forest habitat was extensively logged, cleared for farming and settlements, and fragmented due to human activities.
- This loss of habitat reduced the birds' food sources and suitable nesting sites.
Predation:
- Introduced mammalian predators, such as rats, stoats, and cats, preyed on huia eggs, chicks, and adult birds.
- These predators posed a significant threat to the huia's reproductive success.
Low Reproductive Rate:
- Huia had a relatively slow reproductive rate, producing only one to two eggs per breeding season.
- The loss of even a small number of breeding pairs, due to hunting or other factors, could significantly impact the population.
Human Disturbance:
- Disturbance from human activities, including logging, settlement, and tourism, disrupted the huia's behavior, breeding, and feeding patterns.
- Increased human presence in the huia's habitat led to stress, habitat avoidance, and reduced reproductive success.
Limited Genetic Diversity:
- The huia population had relatively low genetic diversity, making them more susceptible to the impacts of inbreeding and disease.
- This reduced genetic variation likely resulted from the species being confined to a specific geographic range and potentially from past population bottlenecks.