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| Sunday,13 November 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Different Outlook Dodo was a bird by Arefa Tehsin Mauritius is not only known for its sun and sand but is also famed for its dead Dodo. Dodo (Raphus cucullatus), the ultimate symbol or rather "icon of extinction" is known widely over the circumference of earth.
Dodo brain Today we name a person dodo to demean him/her as half crazed. We are not demeaning that person; we are demeaning this bird that fell prey to the shameful indiscreetness of humans. Today also this symbol of careless extinction does not generate a feeling of regret, but amusement. For tens of millions of years this virgin island of Mauritius remained untouched, except for visits by some early Arab traders. Birds of various kinds reigned over this island paradise, as there were no mammals present. The evolution of this bird had made it flightless, as there were no predators. It was in the early 16th century when European ships first anchored on the island of Mauritius. By the year 1680 Dodo was conclusively wiped out. How was this 'feat' attained which has fascinated generations across centuries? Well, it is not so long a story. This unique and distinct bird, weighing less than 50 pounds whose "shape and rareness may antagonise the phoenix of Arabia", frolicked in its island kingdom. the Portuguese first 'discovered' this island and were followed by the Dutch who settled in the home of this flightless, chubby and gentle pigeon. Ships passing that way (usually voyages between Cape of Good Hope and Asia) would stop there to slaughter birds and other easy game, which were so tame that they would walk right into their hands. Seamen mostly short of food massacred it, though dodo was by no means delicious to eat with its coarse and bitter meat. Dodo was not the only victim; many other species are extinct from that island. Somehow, dodos escaped the plundering human hands and receded to the interiors of the island. Sadly, this also did not augur well for them. The Dutch ships had not only brought along human but also cunning domesticated animals like dogs and rogue undomesticated animals like rats. For these animals that had adapted well in the city streets and drains, adapting in the wilderness was a piece of cake. These emigrated animals started multiplying in great numbers. They could go to the elusive dwelling places of these birds that could not be accessed by men and destroyed them, their chicks as well as their eggs - the only hope of their progeny's survival. These animals became a major nuisance and pain to not only the wildlife of the island, but also to the settlers who had brought them along. A severe plague broke out owing to rats and pigs which caused heavy damage to crops and forests (a hunt was organised in which 1500 pigs were killed in a day!), 4000 monkeys were reported to be playing in a garden and so on. Foolishness pays The bird whose age-old home was ransacked, who would walk towards humans as though they were pals, who never posed a problem to its own destructors, ultimately gave way. A cute gentle bird happily living in obscurity for ages slipped into oblivion forever without a fuss or fight, and became 'as dead as a dodo'. "Thus let me live unseen, unknown; Thus unlamented let me die Steal from the world, and not a stone Tell where I lie..." |
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| Produced by Lake House |
Dodo, meaning 'simpleton' coming from the archaic word Doudo of
Portuguese, has found a place in our day-to-day jargon, literature and
celebrated classics like Alice in Wonderland; though there is no place
left for the bird dodo anymore. Portuguese named it Dodo because it had no
fear of humans - its destructors - and would come to them as if they were
tamed. Yes, any creature that considers humans its friend is foolish.
Humans are friends to not even their own species.
