Why are the Dodo Bird and the Kakapo So Similar?
It’s so unfortunate when a species that formerly had no predators is rushed to extinction because of humans. New Zealand’s most prized parrot, the kakapo is a prime example. Today, 123 of New Zealand’s critically endangered parrots, the kakapo, remain. Kakapo lovers were recently thrilled when 23 chicks increased the dwindling kakapo population from 100 birds. The kakapo, like one of history’s most famous extinct species, the dodo bird, was obliterated because it was too trusting, and until humans came into the picture, it had no natural predators. The Plight of the Dodo Bird It was called the dodo bird because it couldn’t fly and as a result, pioneers thought that even a dodo could catch and kill the bird. And as a result, this fascinating species is gone forever. Dodo birds were once inhabitants of Mauritius, a small island situated approximately 500 miles east of Madagascar. Many images and stories place the dodo bird along the coasts, but it was, in fact, a forest-dwelling bird. It
