Kurī (SciiFii)

The Kurī is the Māori name for a Polynesian dog. It was introduced to New Zealand by the Polynesian ancestors of the Māori during their migration from East Polynesia in the 13th century AD. According to Māori tradition, the demigod Māui transformed his brother-in-law Irawaru into the first dog. Kurī were once extinct since the 1860s, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii due to demand for more de-extincted dog breeds as common household pets. Kurī are bushy-tailed, with short legs and powerful shoulders. Their coat colour range from yellowish brown to black, white, or spotted. Like other Polynesian dog breeds, they howl instead of bark – the Māori word for the howl is auau. Kurī were originally a source of food for Māori, and considered a delicacy. British explorer James Cook sampled kurī on his 1769 voyage and declared that it was almost as tasty as lamb. Kurī were also originally used to hunt birds. In addition, Māori used their skins and fur to make dog-skin cloaks (kahu kurī), belts, weapon decorations and poi. In recent times, the de-extincted Kurī are bold, intelligent, loyal, and affectionate, making them suitable as family pets.