The dodo was a large, flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It became extinct in the late 17th century, within 150 years after the island was colonized by the Dutch. The dodo was hunted to extinction by humans and invasive species that were introduced to the island. But did this strange looking bird leave any fossil evidence behind? Here we examine what fossils of the dodo have been found and what they can tell us about this extinct species.
Brief history of the dodo
The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a member of the pigeon and dove family, but it could not fly. It weighed around 20 kg and had brownish-grey plumage, a large head, a greyish-yellow beak, and short legs and wings. It lived in the forests of Mauritius and nested on the ground. When Dutch sailors first arrived on Mauritius in 1598, they named the bird the “dodo” which means “simpleton” in Dutch. This was likely due to the fact that these birds had no experience with humans and therefore showed no fear of them. This made them very easy prey for sailors looking for a fresh meal.
Within a few decades, dodos were hunted to extinction by humans for their meat. Sailors also introduced other animals to Mauritius that proved disastrous to the dodos – pigs, macaques, rats, and crab-eating macaques ate dodo eggs, young dodos, and disrupted their nesting activities. Deforestation also destroyed much of the dodos’ habitat. The last confirmed sighting of a live dodo was in 1662.
When were dodo fossils first discovered?
For many years the dodo was considered to be a mythical creature as so little physical evidence of its existence remained. It was only known from 17th century drawings and written accounts. The first dodo fossil discovery came in 1865, when George Clark, an English schoolmaster working in Mauritius, found the first known dodo skeleton, a partial skeleton minus the skull. In 1895, Louis Etienne Thirioux, an amateur naturalist, discovered more dodo bones in a marshy area of Mauritius. His discoveries included the first complete dodo skeleton and several skulls.
Perhaps the most significant fossil discovery came in 2006 when an excavation uncovered hundreds of dodo bones at the Mare aux Songes marsh in Mauritius. This included many complete skeletons and partial remains of juveniles and adults. These fossils provided unprecedented insight into the anatomy and life history of dodos.
What do dodo fossils reveal?
Dodo fossils have revealed much about the anatomy, evolution, and extinction of these unique birds. Here are some key findings from the study of dodo remains:
Anatomy
Dodo skeletons showed that they were larger and heavier than originally thought – some weighed over 20 kg. They were around 1 meter tall. Their wings were tiny and could not be used for flight. Their leg bones revealed that they were not particularly fast runners.
Diet
Studies of skull and beak shape together with gizzard contents from Mare aux Songes fossils show that dodos likely ate fruits, seeds and roots. Their powerful beaks hint that they could crack open seeds and nuts.
Growth and lifespan
Examination of bone sizes indicates dodos reached adult size by around 8 years old and could live for over 10 years. Ring structures in the bones also reveal details about growth rates and age.
Relationships
Fossils clarified that the closest living relative of the dodo is the Nicobar pigeon. Genetic studies of dodo fossils also confirmed they are closely related to pigeons and doves.
Cause of extinction
The recent discovery of several complete skeletons indicates that dodos may have had a more robust skeletal structure than original watercolor depictions showed. Their bones do show signs of predation and damage from being eaten, confirming they were killed and eaten by humans and introduced predators.
Bones with stories to tell
Many dodo bones have been found with burn marks – likely from being roasted over fires as food. Cut marks on bones also indicate humans butchering dodos. Other bones show signs of disease such as arthritis.
Key dodo fossil sites
Most dodo fossils have been found concentrated in certain areas of Mauritius. Some key fossil sites include:
Mare aux Songes
This marshy area has yielded hundreds of dodo bones, including near complete skeletons of adults and juveniles. The wet conditions preserved the bones nicely before they were excavated.
Gommier Cave
Located in a coastal cliff, this cave contained a large number of dodo bones, including wing and leg elements. They may have been dragged there by crabs or perhaps cyclone flooding.
Black River Gorges
Isolated dodo bones have been found in caves in this rugged mountain area. In 2002, a complete dodo skeleton was found here by a school group.
Complete dodo skeletons
There are only a handful of complete dodo skeletons assembled from fossils. Here are three of the most well-known:
Dodo of Oxford
This is probably the most famous and well-studied dodo skeleton, housed in Oxford University’s Museum of Natural History. It was the first assembled from fossils found between 1865 to 1914.
Edinburgh Dodo
This skeleton is on display in Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland. Its bones were found in 1865 on Mauritius and were purchased by the museum in 1862.
London Dodo
Comprised of fossils found in 1865 and 1917, this mounted skeleton can be seen in London’s Natural History Museum collection.
Interesting individual dodo fossils
While discoveries of partial skeletons and individual bones have advanced knowledge about dodos, some individual fossils provide particular insights or just capture public fascination. These include:
Dodo claw with skin
This remarkable fossil was found in 2008 among remains in Mare aux Songes. It preserves dodo skin attached to a foot claw, providing a rare glimpse of the dodos’ soft tissue appearance.
Petrified dodo droppings
Fossilized feces thought to be from dodos were found in caves in Mauritius in 2005. They provided information about the dodos’ diet and habitat.
Dodo egg shell fragments
A few fragments of dodo eggshell have also been identified from sites in Mauritius. Though fragile, they give clues to the size of dodo eggs.
Dodo bone with bullet holes
A dodo pelvic bone discovered in Morne Brabant, Mauritius has two holes in it that match bullet sizes from rifles used by Dutch sailors, indicating humans hunted dodos.
Where are dodo fossils now?
Most dodo fossil material is spread across various museums and institutions around the world. Mauritius has been requesting many specimens be returned, but many key fossils remain housed outside of Mauritius. Some locations include:
- Natural History Museum, London, UK – contains the most extensive dodo collection with hundreds of bones.
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford, UK – houses the first reconstructed dodo skeleton from 1865.
- American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA – has diverse dodo remains including the heaviest intact skull.
- National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA – possesses many dodo fossils from the Mare aux Songes excavation.
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands – holds a large collection of dodo fossils and replicas.
Smaller collections exist in museums worldwide, from Egypt to Russia to Japan. Mauritius itself has put efforts to obtain original fossils or casts of them for education and research within the country where dodos originated.
Contributions to science
Despite being extinct for over 300 years, the remains of the dodo continue to aid scientific research and capture public interest. Dodo fossils have contributed to many research studies over the years that have improved our understanding of:
- Extinction – the dodo represents a famous example of human-caused extinction of native island species.
- Evolution – how isolation on islands affects evolution of traits like flightlessness.
- Anatomy – provides insights into unique adaptations for island life.
- Ecology – reconstructing ecosystems on Mauritius before human arrival.
- Behavior – bone abnormalities suggest dominance fights among dodos.
- Genetics – DNA studies confirm the dodo’s evolutionary relationships.
- Preservation – the quality of preservation of dodo bones helps understand fossilization processes.
Every new dodo fossil find has the potential to reveal exciting new information about this famously extinct bird. Their remains continue to be a focus of active research.
Conclusion
The story of the dodo reveals important lessons about human impacts on island species vulnerable to extinction. Though the living dodo has been gone for centuries, their fossils provide a glimpse into the anatomy, habits, and demise of these remarkable birds. Significant fossil discoveries on Mauritius have uncovered many dodo bones that have advanced scientific understanding and returned the dodo from myth to reality in popular imagination. Ongoing research on existing specimens and future finds will undoubtedly uncover more insights into this avian icon of extinction.