Painting of a dodo from 1626.
The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. Related to pigeons and doves, it stood about a meter (3.3 feet) tall, weighing about 20 kilograms (44 lb), living on fruit, and nesting on the ground.
The dodo has been extinct since the mid-to-late 17th century. It is commonly used as the archetype of an extinct species because its extinction occurred during recorded human history and was directly attributable to human activity.
The dodo in 1632[]
Since the last confirmed sighting of a dodo in the OTL was in 1662, and the last confirmed sighting before that was in 1638, it was assumed that the dodo would still be alive as of 1635, though it may have been endangered. In the spring of 1635, an expedition to Mauritius was organized for the purpose of attempting to save the species.[1] The expedition arrived late in 1635, and found that the species still existed. Eventually, several live specimens were brought back to Europe, and a colony/research station was established on Mauritius, which was renamed after the animal.
References[]
- ↑ This is the subject of the "Second Chance Bird" serial, which began in Grantville Gazette XXXII.