Réunion Owl

The Réunion Owl ( Mascarenotus grucheti ) is an extinct species of owl in the genus Mascarenotus that was endemic to the Mascarene island of Réunion. It is known only from subfossilem material from the Holocene. The specific epithet honors Harry Gruchet, a curator from the Museum d' Histoire naturelle de La Réunion in Saint- Denis.

Features

The Réunion Owl reached about the size of Mauritius Owl ( Mascarenotus sauzieri ). Your wing elements, however, were reduced slightly and her legs were longer.

Habitat

The Reunion owl was probably a secret inhabitants of dense and remote forests.

History of discovery and extinction

1974 promoted Bertrand Kervazo in the grotto of the prime minister Français in Saint -Paul the holotype, a right tarsometatarsus to days. 1980 was discovered in the Grotte de l' Autel at Saint- Gilles, a humerus and tibiotarsus. Between 1990 and 1992 three Tarsometatarsi, a femur and an incomplete Os were found quadratum in the fossil deposit Marais de l' Ermitage. It is very likely that the Réunion Owl became extinct during the 18th century due to massive deforestation.