Difference between revisions of "Dodo" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Taxobox_begin | color=pink | name=Dodo}}<br />{{StatusExtinct|when=[[1681]]}}
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{{Taxobox_begin | color=pink | name=Dodo}}<br />{{StatusExtinct|when=1681}}
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{{Taxobox_image | image = [[Image:Dodo 1.JPG|200px]] | caption = Dodo reconstruction at Oxford University Museum of Natural History}}
 
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{{Taxobox_classis_entry | taxon = [[bird|Aves]]}}
 
{{Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = [[dove|Columbiformes]]}}
 
{{Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = [[dove|Columbiformes]]}}
{{Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = [[Raphidae]]}}
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{{Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = Raphidae}}
{{Taxobox_genus_entry | taxon = '''''Raphus'''''}}<br/>{{Taxobox authority | author = [[Mathurin Jacques Brisson|Brisson]] | date = 1760}}
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{{Taxobox_genus_entry | taxon = '''''Raphus'''''}}<br/>{{Taxobox authority | author = Brisson | date = 1760}}
 
{{Taxobox_species_entry | taxon = '''''R. cucullatus'''''}}
 
{{Taxobox_species_entry | taxon = '''''R. cucullatus'''''}}
 
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{{Taxobox_end_placement}}
{{Taxobox_section_binomial_parens | color = pink | binomial_name = Raphus cucullatus | author=[[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] | date = [[1758]]}}
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{{Taxobox_section_binomial_parens | color = pink | binomial_name = Raphus cucullatus | author=[[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] | date = 1758}}
 
{{Taxobox_end}}
 
{{Taxobox_end}}
  
The '''Mauritius Dodo''' (''Raphus cucullatus'', called ''Didus ineptus'' by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]]), more commonly just '''Dodo''', was a meter-high [[flightless bird]] of the island of [[Mauritius]], located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Africa. The Dodo, now [[extinct birds|extinct]], was native only to Mauritius and lived on [[fruit]] and nested on the ground.
+
The '''Mauritius Dodo''' (''Raphus cucullatus'', called ''Didus ineptus'' by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]]), more commonly just '''Dodo''', was a meter-high, flightless [[bird]] native only to the island of [[Mauritius]], located in the [[Indian Ocean]] to the east of [[Africa]]. The dodo, now extinct, lived on [[fruit]] and nested on the ground.
 +
 
 +
[[Extinction]] is a natural part of the history of [[life]], and some researchers speculate that natural causes provided the tipping point for the dodo's extinction. However, [[human]] activities also played a role, particularly through the introduction of new species to the island, habitat destruction, and overhunting. While this impact may have been largely an inadvertent byproduct of human migration to Mauritius, moreso than the overhunting seen in the case of the [[passenger pigeon]], it does reflect the importance of considering all actions carefully. The dodo had been in existence for many thousands, perhaps millions of years, but was wiped out in a matter of decades.  
  
 
==Etymology==
 
==Etymology==
  
The origin of the word "Dodo" is controversial. The name may be related to the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] word "'''dodaars'''", a water bird known in English as the [[Little Grebe]] or [[Dabchick]]. Little Grebes are [[extant]], or still living, but they are similar to the Dodo in that they have similar feathers on the hind end and are also clumsy walkers. Whether or not the Dutch named the Dodo after another bird it resembled is uncertain, but the Dutch are known to have called the bird the "walgvogel" ("terrible bird") in reference to the way it tastes (Fryer 2002).
+
The origin of the word "dodo" is controversial. The name may be related to the [[The Netherlands|Dutch]] word "'''dodaars'''", a water bird known in [[England|English]] as the Little Grebe or Dabchick. Little Grebes are [[extant]], or still living, but they resemble the dodo in that they have similar feathers on the hind end and are also clumsy walkers. Whether the dodo was named after this bird is uncertain, but the Dutch are known to have called the bird the "walgvogel" ("ghastly bird") in reference to the way it tasted.
Adding to the mystery of where the Dodo's name came from is the fact that "dodo" has been part of the English language since 1628, and the Dutch did not reach Mauritius before [[1638]]. According to ''The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology'', "dodo" comes from [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] ''doudo'' (more commonly ''doido'' currently) meaning "fool", or, as an adjective, "crazy." The Portuguese word ''doudo'' or ''doido'' may itself be a loanword from [[Old English]] (cp. English "dolt").
+
 
 +
Adding to the mystery of where the dodo's name came from is the fact that "dodo" has been part of the English language since at least 1628, and the Dutch are not thought to have reached Mauritius before 1638. According to ''The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology'', "dodo" comes from [[Portuguese]] ''doudo'' (more commonly ''doido'' currently) meaning "fool", or, as an adjective, "crazy." The Portuguese word ''doudo'' or ''doido'' may itself be a loanword from Old English (cp. English "dolt").
 +
 
 
Yet another possibility, as author David Quammen noted in his book ''The Song of the Dodo'', is "that 'dodo' was an onomatopoeic approximation of the bird's own call, a two-note pigeony sound like 'doo-doo'."
 
Yet another possibility, as author David Quammen noted in his book ''The Song of the Dodo'', is "that 'dodo' was an onomatopoeic approximation of the bird's own call, a two-note pigeony sound like 'doo-doo'."
  
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
  
[[Image:Dodo 1.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Dodo reconstruction at [[Oxford University Museum of Natural History]]]]
+
In October 2005, Dutch and Mauritian researchers found a cache of 2,000-year-old bones from about 20 dodos in Mauritius. These findings were made public in December 2005 by Naturalis, the [[Netherland]]s scientific institute in Leiden. The discovery was significant because of the scarcity of specimens today. The last complete stuffed bird burned in a fire at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum in 1755. As of 2006, no complete skeleton has ever been found.  
In October 2005, Dutch and Mauritian researchers found a cache of 2,000-year-old bones from about 20 Dodos in Mauritius. These findings were made public in December 2005 by Naturalis, the Netherlands scientific institute in Leiden. The discovery was significant because the last complete stuffed bird burned in a fire at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum in 1755. As of 2006 no complete skeleton has ever been found.  
 
  
Though no whole specimens are preserved, a number of museum collections contain Dodo skeletons that are composites, made up of the bones of different birds. A Dodo egg is on display at the East London museum in South Africa. The most complete remains of a single Dodo are a head and foot, on display at the Oxford Museum of Natural History. Analysis of genetic material recovered from this specimen proved that the Dodo was a member of the pigeon family and its closest living relative is the '''Nicobar pigeon''' (''Caloenas nicobarica'') from the Nicobar Islands and nearby Southeast Asia (Shapiro 2002).  
+
Though no whole specimens are preserved, a number of museum collections contain dodo skeletons that are composites, made up of the bones of different birds. A dodo [[egg]] is on display at the East [[London]][ Museum in [[South Africa]]. The most complete remains of a single dodo are a head and foot, on display at the [[Oxford]] Museum of Natural History. Analysis of [[gene|genetic]] material recovered from this specimen revealed that the dodo was a member of the [[pigeon]] family and its closest living relative is likely the '''Nicobar pigeon''' (''Caloenas nicobarica'') from the Nicobar Islands and nearby [[Southeast Asia]] (Shapiro 2002).  
  
Nevertheless, 17th century paintings and drawings of birds brought back to Europe by travellers show the Dodo had blue-grey [[plumage]], a 23-centimeter (9-inch) blackish hooked [[Beak|bill]] with a reddish point, stout yellow legs, a tuft of curly [[feather]]s high on its rear end, and stubby [[wing]]s. Dodos were large birds, weighing about 23 kg (50 pounds).  
+
Seventeenth-century paintings and drawings of birds brought back to [[Europe]] by travelers show the dodo had blue-gray plumage, a 23-centimeter (9-inch) blackish hooked bill with a reddish point, stout yellow legs, a tuft of curly [[feather]]s high on its rear end, and stubby wings. Dodos were large birds, weighing about 23 kg (50 pounds).  
  
The short wings were not used for flight, much like penguins' wings. The breastbone was too small to support the large pectoral muscles that would have been required for flight. Scienctists believe that Dodos evolved from a bird capable of flying that landed on Mauritius. Given the island [[ecology]], with no predators and plenty of food, the Dodo's ancestor didn't need to fly, and eventually the flightless Dodo evolved.  
+
Like [[penguin]]s, dodos did not use their short wings to fly. The breastbone was too small to support the large pectoral [[muscle]]s that would have been required for flight. Scientists believe dodos evolved from a bird capable of flying that landed on Mauritius. Given the island [[ecology]], with no predators and plenty of food, the dodo's ancestor would not need to fly, and eventually, it is speculated, the flightless Dodo evolved.  
  
The traditional image of the Dodo is of a fat, clumsy bird, but Andrew Kitchener, a biologist at the [[Royal Museum of Scotland]], argues that the birds were actually lithe and athletic and that artists' renditions showed overfed captive specimens (Kitchener 1993). As Mauritius has marked dry and wet seasons, the Dodo probably fattened itself on ripe fruits at the end of the wet season to survive the dry season when food was scarce. With food readily available in captivity, Kitchener proposes that the birds gorged on an unrestricted diet, becoming plump.
+
The traditional image of the dodo is of a fat, clumsy bird, but Andrew Kitchener, a [[biology|biologist]] at the Royal Museum of [[Scotland]], argues that the birds were actually lithe and athletic (Kitchener 1993). He maintains that artists' renditions showed overfed, captive specimens. As Mauritius has marked dry and wet seasons, the dodo probably fattened itself on ripe [[fruit]]s at the end of the wet season to survive the dry season when food was scarce. With food readily available in captivity, Kitchener proposes that the birds fattened up by gorging on an unrestricted diet.
  
 
==Extinction==
 
==Extinction==
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Raphus.jpg|right]] —>
 
 
[[Image:dodos-london.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Reconstruction of Mauritius Dodo, Natural History Museum, London]]
 
[[Image:dodos-london.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Reconstruction of Mauritius Dodo, Natural History Museum, London]]
[[Image:dodos-tring.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Reconstruction of Mauritius Dodo, Rothschild Zoological Museum, Tring, England]]
+
The source of the dodo's [[extinction]] is not certain, but researchers believe it may have been a natural disaster or human impact, or some combination of the two. Scientists from the Dodo Research Program announced in 2006, that they found evidence suggesting a natural disaster, such as a cyclone or flood, nearly wiped out the [[species]] before humans arrived on the island, reducing its population so severely that it fell below sustainable levels.
The source of the Dodo's extinction is not certain, but evidence suggests a natural disaster nearly wiped out the species before humans arrived on the island, reducing its population so severely that it fell below sustainable levels.
 
 
 
As with many animals evolving in isolation from significant predators, the Dodo did not fear people. This fearlessness combined with its inability to fly made it easy prey. (The island was first visited by the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] in [[1505]], but the Dutch were the first permanent settlers on the island.)
 
 
 
When humans settled Mauritius they brought with them [[sheep]], [[dog]]s, [[pig]]s, [[rat]]s, and [[monkey]], which had not existed on the island before. These animals plundered Dodo nests, while humans destroyed the forests where they made their homes and found food.
 
 
 
There is some controversy surrounding the extinction date of the Dodo.  [[David Roberts]] states that "the extinction of the Dodo is commonly dated to the last confirmed sighting in [[1662]], reported by [[shipwreck|shipwrecked]] mariner [[Volkert Evertsz]]", but other sources suggest [[1681]].
 
 
 
Roberts points out that because the sighting prior to 1662 was in [[1638]] (i.e. 24 years earlier), the Dodo was likely already very rare by the 1660s. However, [[statistics|statistical]] analysis of the hunting records of [[Isaac Joan Lamotius]], carried out by [[Julian Hume]] and coworkers, gives a new estimated extinction date of [[1693]], with a 95% [[confidence interval]] of [[1688]] to [[1715]].
 
 
 
The last known Dodo was killed less than 100 years after the species' discovery. No one took particular notice of the extinct bird until it was featured in the Caucus race in [[Lewis Carroll]]'s ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]]'' (1865). With the popularity of the book, the Dodo became perhaps the best-known extinct animal and "dead as a Dodo" became a household phrase.
 
 
 
==Use as a symbol==
 
[[Image:Coat of arms of Mauritius.png|thumb|[[Coat of arms]] of [[Mauritius]]]]
 
 
 
*The Dodo rampant appears on the [[Coat of arms]] of [[Mauritius]].
 
*The Dodo is the symbol of the [[Brasseries de Bourbon]], a popular brewer on [[Réunion Island]].
 
*The Dodo is the symbol and mascot of the [[Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust]] and the [[Jersey Zoological Park]], founded  by [[Gerald Durrell]].
 
*The Dodo is the name, symbol and mascot of Finnish environmental organization Dodo. [http://www.dodo.org]
 
*Dodo is the name of an Australian internet and phone service provider. Its mascot is a blue-feathered, yellow-beaked 'dodo' that could fly.
 
  
==Dodos in popular culture==
+
Whether or not the dodo population was already reduced, [[human]]s did contribute to its demise. As with many animals evolving in isolation from significant predators, the dodo did not fear people. This fearlessness combined with its inability to fly made it easy prey.
  
{{main|Dodos in popular culture}}
+
[[Image:dodos-tring.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Reconstruction of Mauritius Dodo, Rothschild Zoological Museum, Tring, England]]
 +
Though the island was first visited by the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] in about 1505, the Dutch were the first permanent settlers on the island. When the Dutch settled Mauritius around 1644, they brought with them [[sheep]], [[dog]]s, [[pig]]s, [[rat]]s, and [[monkey]]s, which had not existed on the island before. These animals plundered the dodo's nests, while humans destroyed the forests where they made their homes and found food.
  
The Dodo's significance as one of the best-known [[extinct]] animals and its singular appearance has led to its widespread use in literature and popular culture.
+
The last known dodo was killed less than a century after the species' discovery, but some controversy surrounds the exact extinction date of the Dodo. The generally accepted date of extinction is 1662, when a shipwrecked sailer named Volkert Evertsz (or Evertszoon) reported seeing a small population of dodos on an islet off Mauritius (Cheke 1987). Some scientists have pointed out that the sighting was in 1638&mdash;24 years earlier&mdash;and suggested that the bird may have survived until 1690, but gone unseen because the species became increasingly rare (Roberts 2003). Another group of scientists took into account the hunting records of a Mauritian, Isaac Joan Lamotius, who listed dodos among the game killed by his hunting parties on 12 separate occasions between 1685 and 1688 (Hume 2004). Statistical analysis of the hunting records and previous sitings provided an estimated extinction date of 1693, with a 95 percent confidence interval of 1688 to 1715.
  
== See also ==
+
==Dodos in Popular Culture==
  
* [[Extinct birds]]
+
The dodo's significance as one of the best-known [[extinct]] animals and its singular appearance has led to its widespread use in literature and popular culture. The public's fascination with the bird is often attributed to its appearance in Lewis Carroll's ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865). With the popularity of the book, the dodo became perhaps the best-known extinct animal and "dead as a Dodo" became a household phrase. The dodo rampant appears on the Coat of Arms of [[Mauritius]].
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=19310|title=Raphus cucullatus|downloaded=11 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as extinct
+
* Barnhart, R. K. 1995. ''The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology''. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
*Fryer 2002: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/2255991.stm]
+
* Diamond, A. W., A. S. Cheke, and H. F. I. Elliott. (Editors). 1987. ''Studies of Mascarene Island Birds'' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521258081
*Errol Fuller (2003): ''Dodo: A Brief History'' - Universe. ISBN 0789308401
+
* Fuller, E. 2003. ''Dodo: From Extinction to Icon''. New York: Universe Books. ISBN 0789308401  
*Beth Shapiro et al (2002): ''Flight of the Dodo'' Science 295: 1683.
+
* Hume, J. P., D. M. Martill, and C. Dewdney. 2004. Dutch diaries and the demise of the dodo. ''Nature'' 429: 622
*Errol Fuller (2002): ''Dodo : from extinction to icon''
+
* Kitchener, A. 1993. Justice at last for the dodo. ''New Scientist''. 139:24–7.
*Kitchener, A. 1993. Justice at last for the dodo. ''New Scientist'' 139: 24-7
+
* Pinto-Correia, C. 2006. ''Return of the Crazy Bird: the sad, strange tale of the dodo''. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. ISBN 0387988769
*Menting, G., and G. Hard. 2001. ''Vom Dodo lernen - Öko-Mythen um einen Symbolvogel des Naturschutzes'' - In: Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung H. 1, ISSN 09406808
+
* Quammen, D. 1996. ''The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction''. New York: Scribner. ISBN 0684827123
*Vincent Ziswiler (1996): ''Der Dodo - Fantasien und Fakten zu einem verschwundenen Vogel'', Zoologisches Museum der Unviversität Zürich, Ausstellungskatalog, ISBN 3952104310
+
* Roberts, D. L., and A. R. Solow. 2003. When did the dodo become extinct? ''Nature'' 426:245.
*Quammen, D. 1996. ''The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction '' Scribner: New York ISBN 0684827123
+
* Shapiro, B., et al. 2002. Flight of the Dodo. ''Science''. 295(5560):1683.
*Shapiro, B, et al. 2002. Flight of the Dodo. ''Science'' 295(5560): 1683
 
*Clara Pinto Correia (2003): ''Return of the Crazy Bird : the sad, strange tale of the dodo'' - Copernicus Books. ISBN 0387988769
 
  
== External links ==
 
*[http://www.naturalis.nl//asp/page.asp?alias=naturalis.nl&view=naturalis.nl&id=i000256&frameurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naturalis.nl%2Fasp%2Fpage.asp%3Falias%3Dnaturalis.nl%26page_alias%3Ddodo-expeditie 2006 Mauritius Dodo Expedition - Expedition Weblog]
 
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5113372.stm  Dodo skeleton find in Mauritius]
 
*[http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/dodo.htm Dodos at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History]
 
* [http://www.tno.nl/bouw_en_ondergrond/markten/nitg_geological_survey/geomilieu/paleoecologie_van_mauriti/index.xml 2005 discovery on Mauritius]
 
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4556928.stm Scientists find 'mass dodo grave']
 
* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=187135 Dodo DNA/Protein sequence at the NCBI]
 
* [http://www.davidreilly.com/dodo/ David Reilly: The Tragedy of the Dodo]
 
* [http://www.davidreilly.com/dodo/dodo-faq.txt David Reilly: Dodo Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)]
 
* [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/2250/indexi.html A collection of dodo related information and pictures.]
 
* [http://www.dodo-expeditie.nl The daily diary of most recent research trip to Mauritius to look for dodo remains]
 
  
 
{{credit|62478408}}
 
{{credit|62478408}}
 
 
 
[[Category:Life sciences]]
 
[[Category:Life sciences]]
 +
[[Category:Birds]]

Latest revision as of 11:03, 2 August 2023

Dodo
Conservation status: Extinct (1681)
Dodo 1.JPG
Dodo reconstruction at Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Raphidae
Genus: Raphus
Brisson, 1760
Species: R. cucullatus
Binomial name
Raphus cucullatus
(Linnaeus, 1758)

The Mauritius Dodo (Raphus cucullatus, called Didus ineptus by Linnaeus), more commonly just Dodo, was a meter-high, flightless bird native only to the island of Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Africa. The dodo, now extinct, lived on fruit and nested on the ground.

Extinction is a natural part of the history of life, and some researchers speculate that natural causes provided the tipping point for the dodo's extinction. However, human activities also played a role, particularly through the introduction of new species to the island, habitat destruction, and overhunting. While this impact may have been largely an inadvertent byproduct of human migration to Mauritius, moreso than the overhunting seen in the case of the passenger pigeon, it does reflect the importance of considering all actions carefully. The dodo had been in existence for many thousands, perhaps millions of years, but was wiped out in a matter of decades.

Etymology

The origin of the word "dodo" is controversial. The name may be related to the Dutch word "dodaars", a water bird known in English as the Little Grebe or Dabchick. Little Grebes are extant, or still living, but they resemble the dodo in that they have similar feathers on the hind end and are also clumsy walkers. Whether the dodo was named after this bird is uncertain, but the Dutch are known to have called the bird the "walgvogel" ("ghastly bird") in reference to the way it tasted.

Adding to the mystery of where the dodo's name came from is the fact that "dodo" has been part of the English language since at least 1628, and the Dutch are not thought to have reached Mauritius before 1638. According to The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, "dodo" comes from Portuguese doudo (more commonly doido currently) meaning "fool", or, as an adjective, "crazy." The Portuguese word doudo or doido may itself be a loanword from Old English (cp. English "dolt").

Yet another possibility, as author David Quammen noted in his book The Song of the Dodo, is "that 'dodo' was an onomatopoeic approximation of the bird's own call, a two-note pigeony sound like 'doo-doo'."

Description

In October 2005, Dutch and Mauritian researchers found a cache of 2,000-year-old bones from about 20 dodos in Mauritius. These findings were made public in December 2005 by Naturalis, the Netherlands scientific institute in Leiden. The discovery was significant because of the scarcity of specimens today. The last complete stuffed bird burned in a fire at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum in 1755. As of 2006, no complete skeleton has ever been found.

Though no whole specimens are preserved, a number of museum collections contain dodo skeletons that are composites, made up of the bones of different birds. A dodo egg is on display at the East London[ Museum in South Africa. The most complete remains of a single dodo are a head and foot, on display at the Oxford Museum of Natural History. Analysis of genetic material recovered from this specimen revealed that the dodo was a member of the pigeon family and its closest living relative is likely the Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) from the Nicobar Islands and nearby Southeast Asia (Shapiro 2002).

Seventeenth-century paintings and drawings of birds brought back to Europe by travelers show the dodo had blue-gray plumage, a 23-centimeter (9-inch) blackish hooked bill with a reddish point, stout yellow legs, a tuft of curly feathers high on its rear end, and stubby wings. Dodos were large birds, weighing about 23 kg (50 pounds).

Like penguins, dodos did not use their short wings to fly. The breastbone was too small to support the large pectoral muscles that would have been required for flight. Scientists believe dodos evolved from a bird capable of flying that landed on Mauritius. Given the island ecology, with no predators and plenty of food, the dodo's ancestor would not need to fly, and eventually, it is speculated, the flightless Dodo evolved.

The traditional image of the dodo is of a fat, clumsy bird, but Andrew Kitchener, a biologist at the Royal Museum of Scotland, argues that the birds were actually lithe and athletic (Kitchener 1993). He maintains that artists' renditions showed overfed, captive specimens. As Mauritius has marked dry and wet seasons, the dodo probably fattened itself on ripe fruits at the end of the wet season to survive the dry season when food was scarce. With food readily available in captivity, Kitchener proposes that the birds fattened up by gorging on an unrestricted diet.

Extinction

Reconstruction of Mauritius Dodo, Natural History Museum, London

The source of the dodo's extinction is not certain, but researchers believe it may have been a natural disaster or human impact, or some combination of the two. Scientists from the Dodo Research Program announced in 2006, that they found evidence suggesting a natural disaster, such as a cyclone or flood, nearly wiped out the species before humans arrived on the island, reducing its population so severely that it fell below sustainable levels.

Whether or not the dodo population was already reduced, humans did contribute to its demise. As with many animals evolving in isolation from significant predators, the dodo did not fear people. This fearlessness combined with its inability to fly made it easy prey.

Reconstruction of Mauritius Dodo, Rothschild Zoological Museum, Tring, England

Though the island was first visited by the Portuguese in about 1505, the Dutch were the first permanent settlers on the island. When the Dutch settled Mauritius around 1644, they brought with them sheep, dogs, pigs, rats, and monkeys, which had not existed on the island before. These animals plundered the dodo's nests, while humans destroyed the forests where they made their homes and found food.

The last known dodo was killed less than a century after the species' discovery, but some controversy surrounds the exact extinction date of the Dodo. The generally accepted date of extinction is 1662, when a shipwrecked sailer named Volkert Evertsz (or Evertszoon) reported seeing a small population of dodos on an islet off Mauritius (Cheke 1987). Some scientists have pointed out that the sighting was in 1638—24 years earlier—and suggested that the bird may have survived until 1690, but gone unseen because the species became increasingly rare (Roberts 2003). Another group of scientists took into account the hunting records of a Mauritian, Isaac Joan Lamotius, who listed dodos among the game killed by his hunting parties on 12 separate occasions between 1685 and 1688 (Hume 2004). Statistical analysis of the hunting records and previous sitings provided an estimated extinction date of 1693, with a 95 percent confidence interval of 1688 to 1715.

Dodos in Popular Culture

The dodo's significance as one of the best-known extinct animals and its singular appearance has led to its widespread use in literature and popular culture. The public's fascination with the bird is often attributed to its appearance in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865). With the popularity of the book, the dodo became perhaps the best-known extinct animal and "dead as a Dodo" became a household phrase. The dodo rampant appears on the Coat of Arms of Mauritius.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Barnhart, R. K. 1995. The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
  • Diamond, A. W., A. S. Cheke, and H. F. I. Elliott. (Editors). 1987. Studies of Mascarene Island Birds Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521258081
  • Fuller, E. 2003. Dodo: From Extinction to Icon. New York: Universe Books. ISBN 0789308401
  • Hume, J. P., D. M. Martill, and C. Dewdney. 2004. Dutch diaries and the demise of the dodo. Nature 429: 622
  • Kitchener, A. 1993. Justice at last for the dodo. New Scientist. 139:24–7.
  • Pinto-Correia, C. 2006. Return of the Crazy Bird: the sad, strange tale of the dodo. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. ISBN 0387988769
  • Quammen, D. 1996. The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction. New York: Scribner. ISBN 0684827123
  • Roberts, D. L., and A. R. Solow. 2003. When did the dodo become extinct? Nature 426:245.
  • Shapiro, B., et al. 2002. Flight of the Dodo. Science. 295(5560):1683.


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