The dodo

The first recorded mention of the Dodo was by Dutch sailors in 1598. In the following years, the bird was hunted by sailors, their domesticated animals, and invasive species introduced during that time. The last widely accepted sighting of a Dodo was in 1662. Its extinction was not immediately noticed, and some considered it to be a mythical creature. In the 19th century, research was conducted on a small quantity of remains of four specimens that had been brought to Europe in the early 17th century. Among these is a dried head, the only soft tissue of the Dodo that remains today. Since then, a large amount of subfossil material has been collected from Mauritius, mostly from the Mare aux Songes swamp. The extinction of the Dodo within less than 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 the story of Alice in Wonderland, and it has since become a fixture in popular culture, often as a symbol of extinction and obsolescence. It is frequently used as a mascot on Mauritius.

The first time I read about the dodo, I was a small kid reading children's encyclopedia. I get sad about the disappearance of a harmless bird and how an entire species can be gone within a century. People back then didn't know about their impact on the ecosystem and even to this day, locals in remote areas hunt wildlife for their living. People's needs will always trump the animals right to land.

Thank you Tasneem for this wonderful card of the dodo!

Sent: 13 January 2014
Received: 23 January 2014
Travelling: 10 days