Dodo

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a flightless bird in the family Columbidae, endemic to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It stood about one meter tall with a plump body, grey plumage, a large head with a broad, hooked beak, small wings, and a short tail. Its wings were incapable of flight, and it had stout legs adapted to a terrestrial lifestyle.

Dodos were ground-dwelling herbivores and omnivores. They are believed to have fed on fruits, seeds, and possibly roots and small invertebrates. They nested on the ground, likely laying a single egg per season, with both parents incubating. The tambalocoque tree seed germination theory—that dodo digestion was required—has been questioned; their exact diet remains uncertain.

The dodo occupied forests on Mauritius and coexisted with large numbers of endemic land vertebrates before human arrival. European sailors in the late 16th century described the bird, and its conspicuous lack of fear made it easy prey. The introduction of rats, pigs, and other predators, along with habitat destruction, led to rapid decline.

Extinction occurred by the end of the 17th century; the last widely accepted sighting dates to around 1662. The species was described scientifically in the 18th century, and its closest living relative is the Rodrigues solitaire (Pezophaps solitaria), with both forming a pair of flightless pigeons in the same lineage.

In popular culture, the dodo is often cited as a symbol of human-caused extinction and conservation lessons.