The Dodo is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Its appearance in life is evidenced only by 17th-century paintings and written accounts that vary considerably, so its exact appearance is a mystery. Little is certain about its habitat and behaviour. Subfossil remains show the Dodo was about 1 metre (3.3 feet) tall and may have weighed 10–18 kg (22–40 lb). It is presumed that the Dodo became flightless because of the ready availability of abundant food sources and a relative absence of predators on Mauritius. The first recorded mention of the Dodo was by Dutch sailors in 1598. In the following years, the bird was preyed upon by hungry sailors, their domesticated animals, and invasive species introduced during that time. The last widely accepted sighting of a Dodo was in 1662. Its extinction within only about a century of its discovery called attention to the previously unrecognised problem of human involvement in the disappearance of entire species. The Dodo achieved widespread recognition from its role in Alice in Wonderland, and it has become a fixture in popular culture, often as a symbol of extinction and obsolescence. (Full article...)
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