Leon Claessens: The real reason dodo birds went extinct

The real reason dodo birds went extinct

Dodos are commonly considered brainless, blundering birds that were poorly adapted and doomed to die off, making their human-mediated extinction effortless and inevitable. But that’s not the case. So, what were dodos actually like? And what really caused their downfall? Leon Claessens uncovers the truth about these misunderstood and maligned creatures. [Directed by Denys Spolitak, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Jarrett Farkas].

Dodos were not clumsy or doomed by nature but were well-adapted survivors on Mauritius, thriving for millennia despite droughts and shifting climates. These birds, once among the island’s largest animals, vanished less than a century after Dutch sailors arrived with invasive species like pigs and rats. Contrary to their reputation as brainless, dodos were no less intelligent than other pigeons. Myths about their stupidity and weakness were fueled by misleading art and centuries of storytelling.