Human-induced Extinction of Dodo | 17 Sep 2024

Source: TH

A new study by researchers from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and others has challenged the idea that the dodo was a slow and clumsy bird.

• The study found evidence that dodos and its sister species, the solitaire, were actually fast-moving, well-adapted forest birds.
• Dodos went extinct primarily due to human activity and the introduction of non-native species like pigs, rats, and cats, which preyed on their eggs and chicks, rather than their perceived lack of intelligence.
• Through DNA analysis, it has been established that the dodo belonged to the family (Columbidae) of doves and pigeons, with its closest relative being the Nicobar pigeon.
• Dodos and Rodrigues Solitaires:

	Dodos	Solitaires
Scientific name	Raphus cucullatus	Pezophaps solitaria
Characteristics	It had grayish feathers and a distinctive large, hooked beak.	It exhibited pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males had a large bony knob on the wrists.
Habitat	Endemic to the island of Mauritius and lived in forests	Endemic to Rodrigues island of Mauritius
Evolutionary History	It evolved to be flightless due to the absence of predators on Mauritius. The dodo likely had strong running abilities.
Discovery and Extinction	Extinct in 1681.	Extinct (last confirmed in the 1760s)

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