Dodo bones reveal the past

A group of Dutch paleontologists discovered the lower half of a dodo, a long-extinct flying bird.

(Photo: AFP)

Among the remnants include a hip bone attached to 4 pieces of leg bone. The researchers investigated the ecosystem where the dodo used to live on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean 500 years ago. They also found a mine, spine and wing of the dodo.

Dodo was first discovered in 1598, but disappeared in 1682, after becoming a prey for European residents and dogs, pigs, and mice that they brought.

Dodo is a large bird, weighing about 23 kg as an adult. There was gray, big beaks, and a white pinch of hair was decorated on the back of the tail. There are very few bird carcasses found so far.

What makes it different from other birds is not only because of its size but also because it cannot fly, although there are small wings that cannot be lifted.

(Photo: davidreilly)