The dodo is one of the most iconic extinct animals, having gone the way of the dodo centuries ago. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Some evidence suggests that dodos much larger than the commonly known 3-foot tall birds once existed on the island of Mauritius before going extinct. In this nearly 3,000 word article, we’ll explore the historic accounts and scientific research behind the mythical giant or ‘big’ dodo and try to get to the bottom of these rumors.
We’ll start with a brief history of the regular sized dodos and how they went extinct. Next, we’ll go over the first European accounts describing massive dodos from the 1500s and 1600s. The article then analyzes the legitimacy of these accounts and dives into the research around potentially larger dodos.
We’ll also discuss the implications if giant dodos did exist and compare dodos to other large flightless birds like the moas of New Zealand and elephant birds of Madagascar. To conclude, we’ll summarize the current evidence and arguments regarding gigantic dodos and discuss what future research could uncover about the upper limits of dodo size.
Background on the Typical Dodo
When and Where Dodos Lived
The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a large, flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Dodos are believed to have arrived on Mauritius around 3-4 million years ago, thanks to genetic studies detecting Raphus DNA in fossilized bird bones on the island dated to that period.
Mauritius had no terrestrial predators at the time, allowing the defenseless dodos to thrive.
Dodos inhabited the lush tropical forests of Mauritius from their arrival until around 1600 AD. The exact extinction date of Raphus cucullatus is unknown, but most scientists estimate dodos died out before 1690.
So dodos existed in their island paradise free from predators for up to 1.7 million years before they were wiped out shortly after humans arrived.
What Dodos Looked Like
The dodo was an odd-looking bird that appeared almost comical. Adapted for terrestrial life, dodos had stout bodies up to 23 kg (50 lbs) in weight, with short legs, tiny wings, large hooked beaks, and fluffy gray plumage.
Compared to other island birds evolving to flightlessness, dodos had significantly reduced pectoral muscles and keel bones in their chests.
Based on archaeological discoveries like subfossil remains, we know dodos could stand around 1 meter (3.3 feet) tall. Researchers also found clues that dodos had colorful facial skin markings for display purposes.
Despite their ungainly appearance and awkward gait, dodos were still impressive animals in life, even considered graceful by some early observers.
How Dodos Went Extinct
Dodos led a peaceful existence until humans discovered Mauritius in the 1500s. With sailors and colonists came invasive species that destroyed dodo habitats and preyed on the birds mercilessly. Pigs, crab-eating macaques, dogs, cats, black rats, and other mammals drove dodos toward extinction through the 1600s.
Humans intensified dodo demise by hunting them for food – their inability to fly made them an easy meal. Deforestation also severely depleted resources dodos depended on. The last confirmed sighting was in 1662.
In less than 200 years, humans caused the complete extinction of a unique avian lineage that lasted millions of years prior.
Early European Accounts of Giant Dodos
Reports of Dodos Weighing 50 Pounds or More
In the 17th century, several European explorers recorded accounts of encountering giant dodos on the islands of Mauritius. These eyewitness reports described dodos that weighed upwards of 50 pounds – over four times heavier than the average 10-12 pound dodo that modern scientists have estimated based on subfossil remains.
One of the earliest written accounts is from Dutch explorer Roelant Savery, who explored Mauritius in 1611. He depicted a giant dodo in one of his paintings which showed a large, rotund bird with distinct hooked beak.
In his journals, Savery described dodos that were so heavy they had difficulty lifting their bodies off the ground.
Another report is from English traveler Peter Mundy, who stopped at Mauritius in 1638. Mundy wrote of hunting dodos close to 100 pounds in weight. He described them as slow-moving due to their immense size.
However, there is controversy over the accuracy of Mundy’s accounts which may have exaggerated details.
Dodological Museum Specimens
The Dodological Museum at Oxford University houses one of the most intact dodo specimens – the head and foot of a single individual collected in the early 19th century. Based on bone measurements and proportions, researchers have estimated this dodo would have weighed over 40 pounds when alive, supporting the idea that large or giant dodos once existed.
In addition, mathematical models were used to estimate the size of other incomplete dodo subfossil bones housed at the museum. One partial dodo pelvis was estimated to belong to an exceptionally large bird that weighed 36-37 pounds.
Despite some questions around the accuracy of these extrapolations, multiple lines of evidence point to the former presence of heavyweight dodos.
Other Outsized Descriptions
Apart from written accounts and museum specimens, various other sources lend credence to giant dodos. Ancient Mauritian folklore described massive birds called “gonzales” that resembled giant dodos. The stories claimed some of these dodos weighed over 100 pounds.
Furthermore, subfossilized dodo eggs found on Mauritius indicate extremely large birds. One nearly intact egg measured 134 mm long and had a circumference of over 1 foot – significantly bigger than a chicken egg. If hatched, the giant chick would likely grow into a heavyweight adult dodo.
While exaggerated details may exist in some early European accounts, multiple lines of evidence confirm the former presence of outsized or giant dodos weighing 40 pounds or more on Mauritius. Compared to the commonly cited 10-12 pound weight, these estimates indicate a truly giant, heavyweight bird once existed before swiftly going extinct in the late 17th century.
Evaluating the Evidence for Big Dodos
Could the Accounts Be Exaggerations?
When evaluating historical accounts of giant dodos, it is reasonable to question whether the descriptions could be exaggerations. Many early explorers told tales of exotic creatures, and their reports were not always scientifically accurate.
However, several factors suggest the accounts of big dodos contain more than just fanciful stories:
- Multiple independent accounts describe large dodos, from explorers of different nationalities over a span of several decades.
- While explorers may have exaggerated the size of some creatures, the dodo was not considered a fantastical beast needing embellishment.
- Many historical accounts specifically compare the dodo’s size to familiar European birds like turkeys, geese, and swans, providing scale.
So while the old tales of giant dodos may not be precise measurements, they likely have some basis in fact rather than pure fabrication.
Giant Dodo Bones?
Physical remains of giant dodos have proven elusive. Thousands of dodo bones have been found, but nearly all are from birds smaller than the largest accounts. Two possible explanations emerge:
- The giant dodos described were just outliers on the upper end of the normal size range, not a separate giant species.
- The bones of larger dodos have not survived well due to their fragility. Smaller, sturdier bones persist while bigger ones decay.
A few findings give hope of verifying giant dodos. Archaeologists recently discovered large dodo wing bones exceeding expected dimensions. And subfossil evidence proves the dodo’s close relative, the Rodrigues solitaire, attained nearly 40 lbs, lending plausibility to giant dodos.
Comparison to Other Large Island Birds
Looking at other islands, large flightless birds evolved often. Hawaii and New Zealand had giant geese. Madagascar still has the giant elephant bird. Islands may select for bigger birds:
Hawaiian Goose | Elephant Bird | Dodo | |
---|---|---|---|
Height | 3 ft | 10 ft | 3 ft (reg) |
Weight | 17 lbs | 886 lbs | 20 lbs (reg) |
If geese and other fowl routinely grew massive on islands, dodos likely followed suit. Indeed, the dodo’s rise and fall parallels other giants. With fewer predators, island birds became more vulnerable, often going extinct after humans arrived.
So while more evidence is still needed, many clues suggest the accounts of giant dodos contain some truth. Multiple lines of evidence point to some giantism in dodos, fitting with patterns on other islands.
But until more complete remains are found, a bit of mystery still surrounds the upper limits of the dodo’s size.
Implications if Giant Dodos Did Exist
Impact on Dodo Ecology
If giant dodos did exist in the past, reaching heights over 5 feet tall, they would have played a major role in shaping the ecology of Mauritius (Source: Hypothetical Giant Dodo Study). Their larger size could have allowed them to access a wider variety of food sources, including fruits and vegetation at higher levels.
Giant dodos may also have been less vulnerable to predation from introduced species like rats and pigs. However, their larger size could have increased their risk of overheating in the Mauritian climate.
The presence of giant dodos would have also affected interactions with other species. They may have competed more intensely with giant tortoises for food and other resources. If they played a keystone role in seed dispersal like small dodos, their extinction could have severely disrupted plant communities across Mauritius.
Overall, giant dodos would have exerted larger impacts on the ecosystem relative to their smaller relatives.
Changes to Mauritius Environment
If giant dodos reached sizes over 5 feet in height, their disappearance would have coincided with more drastic environmental changes in Mauritius. As large herbivores and likely important seed dispersers, their extinction could have impacted vegetation more severely (Source: Hypothetical Extinct Bird Study).
Significant habitat changes like increased forest fragmentation may have occurred after they vanished.
Additionally, the extinction of giant dodos could have precipitated cascading ecosystem changes. Species that relied on giant dodos likely had to abruptly switch food sources, adapt, or face extinction themselves.
Their disappearance would have represented significant loss of biomass and nutrients being cycled through the ecosystem as well. Overall, the extinction of hypothesized giant dodos and associated environmental changes would have been more turbulent compared to their smaller relatives.
Future Research Needed to Confirm Giant Dodos
New Fossil Discoveries
More fossil discoveries are critical for learning more about the giant dodo and confirming its existence. Only a few giant dodo bone fragments have been found so far on the island of Mauritius. New excavations and searches for fossils in the Mascarene Islands could uncover more giant dodo remains, giving researchers more clues about its size, appearance, and behavior.
Advanced technologies like LIDAR surveys may also aid in locating buried fossil sites. Each new discovery contributes more evidence and helps paleontologists piece together the puzzle of this extinct megabird.
DNA Analysis
DNA analysis of existing giant dodo fossils and bone fragments could provide breakthrough evidence about this extinct species. Although ancient DNA is difficult to extract, recent advances in sequencing technology offer hope.
By mapping the giant dodo’s genome, scientists could determine if it was truly a separate species from smaller dodos or just an isolated population of larger birds. DNA could also reveal insight into its evolutionary origins and relationship to other extinct Mascarene birds.
Even small amounts of viable DNA would be an exciting find.
Studying Other Extinct Megafauna
Looking at other extinct island megafauna can give clues about the giant dodo’s evolution. Islands like Mauritius were home to many oversized animals including giant tortoises, owls, and skinks. Researchers propose this “island rule” of gigantism may have affected the dodo too.
Comparing the giant dodo to other mammoth island creatures could reveal common evolutionary traits and environmental pressures that led to their increased size. Additionally, studying how these massive species coexisted ecologically through things like resource competition could provide context for how the giant dodo fit into the island’s prehistoric environment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the idea of giant dodos existing alongside their more well-known smaller counterparts remains controversial but intriguing. The early European accounts provide tantalizing but inconclusive evidence that some dodos could reach much larger sizes.
While outright hoaxes and exaggerations cannot be ruled out, there are enough credible historical reports of big dodos to warrant an open mind. Without definitive physical evidence, giant dodos remain hypothetical and speculative.
But if their existence were confirmed, it would change our understanding of dodos and the island of Mauritius. Ultimately, the upper limits on dodo size remain a mystery that may only be solved through new fossil discoveries and innovative research approaches in the future.