26 Sep, 2017 7:52am
NZ Herald
Natural evolution could be making
New Zealand's iconic bird blind as its natural habitat and way of life renders
sight unnecessary for survival.
Three kiwi have been found to be
profoundly blind in a South Island forest and an article in the New
Scientist has suggested this could be an indication the flightless
nocturnal birds may be evolving to lose their eyesight.
A study of 160 Okarito brown kiwi
in the Okarito forest in New Zealand's South Island found a "very high
prevalence of birds with eye lesions".
Te Papa Museum researcher Alan
Tennyson said a third of the birds had eye problems.
The three completely blind birds
had no other clear physical problems.
Tennyson said no other birds were
known to have a free-living population of blind members.
However, he told the New
Scientist, plenty of other animals such as moles and cave-dwelling fish, have
evolved blindness.
"Vision is not essential for
survival in all animals."
He said the most likely
explanation the kiwi were becoming blind was because of where and how they
lived.
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