Productinformation
Aepyornis maximus
Origin: Southern Madagascar
This extremely rare natural history object is a leg bone from the elephant bird (Aepyornis maximus), an extinct giant bird that was found exclusively on Madagascar. The elephant bird is one of the largest birds that ever lived and is best known for its enormous size and legendary reputation.
The toes of this specimen are carefully crafted replicas.
The name elephant bird originates from Marco Polo's travelogues, in which he describes the mythical creature Rukh. These stories are considered early references to the elephant bird. In the 17th century, Étienne de Flacourt, governor of Madagascar, described large ostrich-like birds, suggesting that the elephant bird may have survived until that period.
Human influence, including hunting and egg collecting, ultimately led to the elephant bird's extinction. Original remains are extremely rare and mainly found in museum collections. This object is an impressive and valuable collector's item for lovers of natural history, paleontology, and rare objects.
