Why was the dodo extinguished?

Surely you've ever heard of the dodo, that fat and silly bird that died in the hands of the conquerors.We have all heard that story but we know little about this animal that I inhabit for a long time in the Mauritius Islands long before the arrival of men.

All the data we have about of the Dodo are ancient descriptions and some specimens in different museums of the world.There were two species, the common dodo and the white dodo , the latter inhabited Reunion Island.

In this article of Animals and Pets Online you will know the main characteristics of this animal. Because they disappeared and when the last dodo was notified .

Features

The dodo was a non-flying bird endemic to the Mauritius islands in the Indian Ocean, they were only present in this region and their bodies had adapted to life on these islands.

They had no natural predators so they lost the ability to fly.They adapted to terrestrial life which led to a series of changes in their anatomy.The wings were modified, atrophied and the tail shortened.The most popular far away is the pigeon.

Its body was 1 meter high, with a plumage covering its entire body and an approximate weight of 10 kg.The plumage used to be white or gray.It was elongated, about 20 cm, the hook-shaped tip is a reflection of its eating habits.Possibly they used it to break the coconuts.The legs are yellow and robust, similar to those of the hens.

In all the descriptions he is described as a fat, slow and appetite bird .However, most likely nquistadores to see their docile character kept them in captivity.Under these conditions they were most likely to be barley and then eat.So the fat and chubby image we have of the Dodo may not be the most accurate.wild kept a lower body volume.

They nested on the ground, which was also a problem in protecting the young from predators.

First sightings

The first data known in Europe about the dodo date back to 1574.In 1581 a Spanish navigator brought a copy of dodo to Europe, it was the first time this animal was observed in the old world.

His name, means "stupid", it is believed that he was put by Portuguese navigators although its origin is not clear.Currently he is known by the name of drone ( Raphus cucullatus ).

Why did it go extinct?

The arrival of man to the islands, not only brought the threat of direct hunting .Men carried pigs, rats, dogs and other animals that were introduced in the island.These species were undoubtedly a determining factor in the extinction of the dodo.

Due to the docile nature of these animals and their habits of life, they became an easy prey for these new predators.Not only adult individuals.The fact of nesting on the ground is a huge disadvantage compared to predators.

As for man, it should be noted that he is primarily responsible for the extinction of this animal.The incursion into its habitat in the seventeenth century led to its extinction in approximately 1662 .In less than a century the species stopped sighting.

Its exploitation as food and the carefreeness of the men of the time led this species to extinction.The species was only present in this region and arose as a result of the isolated evolution on an island.They were not able to compete with other animals for resources they always had.

The feathers, especially those of the white dodo were very precious, and also I hunted these animals for them.

Food and habitat

In the Mauritius Islands there is a dry and a wet season.It is believed that the dodo was adapted to this situation.fat during the wet season to use during the dry season.

As for its diet, it is believed that its diet was associated with tambalacoque tree .also known as dodo tree, it is a endemic tree of these islands and lives for a long time.Its wood is much appreciated and it is believed that the dodo fed on the seeds of stearbol.

Other seeds, small Insects and fruits were probably their main food although not much has been described on the subject in the texts of the time.

Extinction

As we have seen, there have been several reasons that have led this bird to disappear.Not only are species now extinct, the dodo is an example of an extinction that could have been avoided .

The arrival of men in the islands meant the decline in the life of the dodos, animals without a defense instinct, perished as prey for men and other animals, since their presence was restricted to a couple of islands and due to intensive hunting, they disappeared in a short time.

If the human being had dispersed the species to other places, perhaps this species would continue among us.Some specimens were taken from the islands but only as isolated individuals and in many cases already dissected.

Since 1662 later testimonies of dodo sightings have been collected, however they are not reliable.They also date from a few decades after 1662.species was not completely extinct, there would be very few copies that disappeared they would say a few years later.

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