Their symbolic connection to extinction can also be demonstrated by the connection of dodos with conservation. To “go the way of the dodo” is to cease to exist or to be relevant. In fact, a common idiom for going extinct or fading into obscurity uses the dodo’s plight. Extinct within eighty years of being discovered by humanity, dodos are synonymous with doom. This association is an obvious product of the dodo’s history. Even if these birds were much smarter than their reputation implies, depictions of dodos usually highlight their, perhaps exaggerated, clumsy features and all around goofy appearance.ĭodo birds often symbolize death, obsolescence, and extinction. Though it is believed that this reputation for stupidity is unearned, the fact of the matter is that dodos have been inextricably linked to foolishness in the imagination of mankind. Often considered too ridiculous to live, myths abound regarding dodos walking off of cliffs or into volcanoes. The obvious symbolic meaning of the dodo bird is stupidity. Though so much of the dodo has been confined to the mysterious realm of the past, the impact of these strange birds is a lesson for the present and, for better or for worse, a warning for the future of humanity’s relationship with this planet and her creatures. In this sense, at least, the dodo bird holds a position of grave importance.

Dodos are stark examples of what can happen when the balance of nature is not respected by mankind. They are often associated with innocence and naïveté, as well as the dangers of careless overconsumption or hunting. ( 3)ĭodo birds, however, are much more than their silly reputation. Thus, the reputation of the dumb dodo was born. In Portuguese, “dodo” means “simpleton.” Settlers saw this fearless comfort around potential predators as a sign of foolishness. What we do know about the dodo bird is that they were so named for their naïve trust for humans. Unfortunately, further details about the dodo bird’s traits are largely lost to time. The few specimens remaining suggest that wild dodos were much more lean and agile than this. ( 2) In art, dodos are usually depicted as fat, inelegant, and cumbersome animals like walking turkey dinners ready for the dinner table. Few specimens remain in good condition and artistic depictions of these birds are thought to be inaccurate and exaggerated. ( 1)īelieved to have been a distant relative of pigeons, the dodo bird’s biology is now shrouded in mystery. Discovered on the island of Mauritius in 1598 by settlers, the ill-fated dodo would be extinct only eighty years later. The dodo bird, scientific name “ Raphus cucullatus,” has long been synonymous with foolishness.

Dodo bird tattoo