The Dodo of Mauritius
Mauritius was once home to the Dodo.
This picture shows an overweight cumbersome comical bird, but the few eyewitness accounts that exist say the dodo could run quickly and may have wighed less than half of the 30kg attrubuted to them. The Mauritian dodo made its home in the island's forests.
As a flightless bird (like the ostritch and penguin) the dodo built her nest on the ground.
When Europeans brought dogs and wild pigs to Mauritius, dodo eggs were trampled and eaten by these creatures, The dodo could not adapt and soon died out.
The first european sailors arrived on Mauritius in 1507. By 1681 the birds were totally extinct.
These days, mindful of the legacy of the dodo, the islanders of Mauritius are particularly concerned to conserve the remaining native flora and fauna. When you visit our beauiful islands please do think about your impact on the environment. Please do not drop litter and while here, consider visiting one of the island's wildlife sanctuaries to learn more about the native animals and plants.
