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further expansion of what made them become extinct and a citation to alternative hypotheses
The '''dodo,''' (''Didus ineptus'' L., now ''Raphus cucullatus'') was a large, ugly bird incapable of flying. They weighed an astounding 50 pounds and lived on the islands of Mauritius off the coast of east Africa.
The '''dodo,''' (''Didus ineptus'' L., now ''Raphus cucullatus'') was a large, ugly bird incapable of flying. They weighed an astounding 50 pounds and lived on the islands of Mauritius off the coast of east Africa.
The dodo became extinct in the late 1600s, and environmentalists blame human activity for this extinction. In fact, numerous species go extinct every decade with or without human activity.
The dodo became extinct in the late 1600s, and environmentalists blame human activity for this extinction. Humans helped drive the dodo to extinction by hunting and by bringing along rats and other animals to the island which damage the dodo habitat and stole dodo eggs.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3281323.stm]. However, there is some evidence that a natural disaster had already put the species into decline before the arrival of humans.[http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/ancient/AncientRepublish_1678225.htm]
The dodo has become emblematic for extinction, as in the expression "as dead as the dodo." Humorist [[Will Cuppy]] wrote, jokingly:
The dodo has become emblematic for extinction, as in the expression "as dead as the dodo." Humorist [[Will Cuppy]] wrote, jokingly: