Did Dodos Choose Mauritius? Evolution, Not Choice

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) didn't "choose" Mauritius — it evolved there in isolation over millions of years.

How It Happened

• Ancestry: A pigeon-like ancestor (likely from Southeast Asia or Africa) reached the volcanic island of Mauritius ~26–12 million years ago, possibly via island-hopping across the Indian Ocean.
• Island Syndrome: With no mammalian predators, abundant ground food, and no need to fly, the bird lost flight, grew large (~15–20 kg), developed a massive hooked beak for tough seeds/fruit, and nested on the ground.
• Endemism: The dodo existed only on Mauritius (and possibly nearby Réunion for a related species). It was a product of that specific ecosystem.

Extinction

Humans arrived 1598 (Dutch). Within ~80 years, the dodo vanished — hunted, outcompeted by introduced rats, pigs, monkeys; habitat destroyed. It had no evolved fear of predators.

The dodo is a textbook case of island gigantism and evolutionary naivety — not a migrant making a lifestyle choice.