This flightless bird called the DODO (Raphus cucullatus) once existed during the 16th Century. And then went into extinction.
The dodo, a large flightless bird that lived only on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, was first described in 1598. It became extinct less than 100 years later because of the adverse impact of settlers and their domestic animals.
Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean, was the only home of the dodo, a large, flightless bird that weighed up to 14 kg and was very good to eat. Dodos were an easy-to-catch source of food for sailors and settlers.
Having developed in isolation, the dodo easily fell victim to this new pressure. In addition, forest clearing destroyed the bird’s habitat, and introduced pigs, goats, cats, rats, and monkeys became competitors as well as predators.
First seen by Europeans in 1507, the dodo was extinct by 1681. Today it is represented in museums by only parts of skeletons and one complete skeleton made up of many individuals.
