Colossal Biosciences is dedicated to bringing back extinct animal species. Over the past year and a half, the company has announced plans to rebuild the DNA mammoths and Tasmanian tigers. On February 2, 2023, the Texas-based startup added the dodo to its extinct list. If successful, these efforts could open the door to a new era of biodiversity.
The dodo is a flightless bird that lived on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius in the 17th century. It stood about three feet (one meter) tall and weighed between 33 and 44 pounds (15 and 20 kilograms). Researchers believe the dodo was once able to fly. But that changed when the birds discovered Mauritius. With plenty of food and no predators, they had no incentive to leave. Over the years, the birds grew larger and heavier, and their wings became too small to fly.
The dodo’s idyllic life changed when Portuguese explorers discovered the island in the early 1500s. These curious animals are not afraid of humans and walk straight towards them. This makes them easy to kill. The sailors also brought other predators such as rats, pigs, and monkeys. Some dodos may also have died of starvation when explorers cleared fruit-rich forests. The bird’s trusting nature has earned them the name “doudo,” or “fool,” in Portuguese. Scientists thought the dodo was extinct by the end of the 17th century. Today, these birds are often held up as perfect examples of human-caused extinction.
The dodo is a flightless bird that lived on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius in the 17th century. It stood about three feet (one meter) tall and weighed between 33 and 44 pounds (15 and 20 kilograms). Researchers believe the dodo was once able to fly. But that changed when the birds discovered Mauritius. With plenty of food and no predators, they had no incentive to leave. Over the years, the birds grew larger and heavier, and their wings became too small to fly.
The dodo’s idyllic life changed when Portuguese explorers discovered the island in the early 1500s. These curious animals are not afraid of humans and walk straight towards them. This makes them easy to kill. The sailors also brought other predators such as rats, pigs, and monkeys. Some dodos may also have died of starvation when explorers cleared fruit-rich forests. The bird’s trusting nature has earned them the name “doudo,” or “fool,” in Portuguese. Scientists thought the dodo was extinct by the end of the 17th century. Today, these birds are often held up as perfect examples of human-caused extinction.
