Dodo bird extinction
The extinction of the dodo bird, a flightless species native to Mauritius, serves as a significant example of the ecological impacts resulting from human activity. Dodos were part of the unique fauna of the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean, characterized by their large size, globular bodies, and distinctive hooked beaks. They evolved in an environment devoid of predators, which contributed to their lack of fear of humans. First documented by sailors in the early 16th century, the last known dodo was reported to have vanished by 1681, a decline attributed to overhunting and the introduction of invasive species like pigs and macaques that preyed on their eggs.
The dodo's extinction highlights the fragile balance of island ecosystems and the often drastic consequences of human interference. Although the dodo was not the only related species to face extinction—others like the Réunion solitaire and Rodrigues solitaire also disappeared by the late 18th century—the dodo remains a poignant symbol of lost biodiversity. The story of the dodo bird invites reflection on conservation efforts and the importance of protecting vulnerable species in their natural habitats.
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Dodo bird extinction
IDENTIFICATION: Extinction of a species of flightless birds that were native to the island Mauritius in the Indian Ocean
The extinction of the dodo bird is an example of the potential effects of overhunting and the introduction to an area of nonnative animal species.
Dodo birds were indigenous to the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar. The largest island of the group is Mauritius, 765 kilometers (475 miles) east of Madagascar. The other large islands are Réunion, 225 kilometers (140 miles) southwest of Mauritius, and Rodrigues, 644 kilometers (400 miles) east of Mauritius. The Mauritius species Raphus cucullatus is, strictly, the dodo bird, but some people consider the closely related “solitaire,” Raphus solitarius, of Réunion Island and some Pezophaps solitaria of Rodrigues Island also to be dodo birds. These species were pigeons that, in isolation, had evolved to large size and odd forms.
The dodo bird of Mauritius was flightless and has been described as having a rather globular body supported on legs that were, for a bird, short and stout. It had a short neck crowned with a large head ending in a long, heavy beak that was hooked downward at the end. The nostrils were well forward on the beak. The similar birds of Réunion and Rodrigues Islands were somewhat slimmer and had longer legs.
The male dodo is reported to have weighed about 22.7 kilograms (50 pounds), much larger than an adult male North American wild turkey, which ranges from 6.8 to 9 kilograms (15 to 20 pounds). The female dodo was reportedly somewhat smaller. The bill was about 22.9 centimeters (9 inches) long. The wings were rudimentary, displaying only three or four feathers, and the tail was equally rudimentary, consisting of a few short, curly feathers. The body feathers of the Mauritius dodo were blue-gray, and the sparse wing and tail feathers were white with a splash of yellow. Dodos apparently made their nests on the ground.
The dodo evolved in the absence of humans and predators and initially showed no great fear of sailors who hunted them for food. They were slow moving, and a human could outrun a dodo on open ground. One observer reported that Dutch sailors from one ship caught twenty-four dodos one day and twenty the next.
Some visitors to the islands reported that the meat of dodos was hard and tough, even after prolonged boiling. Others claimed that the breast and belly were good to eat, while the rest of the bird was tough. It may have been a matter of season, as one source said that the Rodrigues solitaire was extremely fat and good to eat from March to September.
Seafarers first visited the Mascarene Islands and reported the existence of dodos about 1507. The dodo of Mauritius was extinct by 1681, the solitaires of Réunion had disappeared by 1746, and those of Rodrigues were gone by 1790. The extinctions were not sudden: The Mauritius dodo survived for 174 years beyond first human contact. Macaques, which are fond of eggs, and pigs were introduced to Mauritius in the sixteenth century; these changes, along with heavy predation by humans, were probably important factors in the ultimate extinction of the birds.
Bibliography
Kenneally, Christine. "A De-Extinction Company Wants to Bring Back the Dodo." Scientific American, 31 Jan. 2023, www.scientificamerican.com/article/tech-company-invests-150m-to-bring-back-the-dodo/. Accessed 16 July 2024.
Pinto-Correia, Clara. Return of the Crazy Bird: The Sad, Strange Tale of the Dodo. Copernicus Books, 2003.
Quammen, David. The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions. 1996. Reprint. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2004.