The real reason dodo birds went extinct - Leon Claessens

Uncover the most common misperceptions about dodos, and find out the truth of how the flightless birds actually went extinct.
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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.
Lesson by Leon Claessens, directed by Denys Spolitak.
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View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/the-real-r...
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Animator's website: vimeo.com/denysspolitak
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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Jennifer Heald, Megulo Abebe, isolwi, Kate Sem, Ujjwal Dasu, Angel Alberici, Minh Quan Dinh, Sylvain, Terran Gimpel, Talia Sari, Katie McDowell, Allen, Mahina Knuckles, Charmaine Hanson, Thawsitt, Jezabel, Abdullah Abdulaziz, Xiao Yu, Melissa Suarez, Brian A. Dunn, Francisco Amaya, Daisuke Goto, Matt Switzler, Peng, Tzu-Hsiang, Bethany Connor, Jeremy Shimanek, Mark Byers, Avinash Amarnath, Xuebicoco, Rayo, Po Foon Kwong, Boffin, Jesse Jurman, Scott Markley, Elija Peterson, Ovidiu Mrd, paul g mohney, Steven Razey, Nathan Giusti, Helen Lee, Anthony Benedict, Karthik Balsubramanian, Annastasshia Ames, Amy Lopez, Vinh-Thuy Nguyen, Liz Candee, Ugur Doga Sezgin, Karmi Nguyen, John C. Vesey and Yelena Baykova.

[@ThrillSeeker3524]

Because Phineas and Ferb haven't found one yet

[@poopybananas]

There's a hundred and four days of summer vacation.......

[@lenninmontiel4539]

Who are those guys are they from a TV show or from a movie 🤨?

[@mandymom2800]

@@lenninmontiel4539 they’re from a mid to late 2000’s Disney channel animated series

[@ThrillSeeker3524]

@@lenninmontiel4539 TV show. It's even called the same name

[@deneunbowan]

...and school comes around just to end it

[@derkaiser420]

Not many animals can survive humans.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Sad but true.

[@micahbush5397]

Even humans often can't survive other humans.

[@zxbc1]

Humans might not survive humans.

[@sushantmanandhar1387]

​@@zxbc1oof

[@jakistam1000]

Rats seem to survive humans pretty well.

[@corradofearless1860]

An unexpected example of evolutionary success, the DODO was not only a victim of collateral human action but also of popular culture.

[@Lyrichx]

As a Mauritian, I love people trying to revive the dodo!

[@jeffreygao3956]

Bad idea! You’d just end up with ordinary pigeons that look like dodos!

[@OffMuller]

@@jeffreygao3956idc dodos are probably gonna be such good pets

[@dracodracarys2339]

Dodo's Bizarre Adventure

[@Daiigzi]

Saaa weh

[@user-od6ur7nl5k]

BRING THE DODOS BACK NOW!

[@StarrySpace]

There is a Dodo monument in Japan because they recently found records of the bird traded in from the Netherlands!

[@kingace6186]

Edo Japan imported a Dodo from the Colonial Dutch??? LMAO History is stranger than fiction

[@santaingrata3217]

Makes sense. Only the Dutch were allowed to trade during sakoku (isolation) period.

[@lesussie2237]

It is always easier to blame things by framing them as a personal failure. It absolves us of recognizing our own fault and responsibility

[@shramanadasdutta3006]

The imagery of skulls in the hourglass made my heart pound and then sink. Beautifully done.

[@ronlacker326]

Would you like to see another "beautiful" thing done by TED ED? kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5jMc5qjq9trraM

[@Kalyse.]

I agree. That was a moving visual.

[@Komorebi007]

Oh my God! I felt the same.I wasn't the only one then😅

[@fantastic4urs472]

The fame of the dodo depends on the literary context. In Chile, kids used to read a story called "Why you shouldn't hunt a Dodo", by Saúl Schkolnik, which tells the story of a weaver, who used to make fabric out of coconut fibers. But he and his wife hated the dodos because the bird used to eat these coconuts. When the dodos were gone, something weird happened: there were less palm tree shoots... because the palm needed to be ingested by the dodos first to start sprouting. As there were fewer trees, fewer hummingbirds were around the young palm trees, and therefore fewer orchids were pollinated... the crabs did not find the orchids to place their nests, which were made out of coconut fiber, which was the material that the weaver needed for making the fabric. The weaver and his wife were desolated. "What has happened?, they both asked themselves, without knowing that they were responsible for everything that happened to them for having killed the Dodos. They didn't know it and wouldn't know it, but you do know it, so if you see one, which won't be easy, you will know why you can't hunt a Dodo."

[@QuarterLifeCrises]

Awww... I feel so bad for the Dodo. I hope the last one wasn't too lonely before it died.

[@willmcnally3388]

You just made that way sadder

[@mchvz_]

ikr, the last one was literally, well, the last one, it died feeling lonely (I was there)

[@Itsmevernette]

Reminds me of the kauai o'o bird

[@Fin-bs6em]

Humans really rubbed salt into the wound by making fun of dodos 😢

[@Azns7]

You mean white people right

[@jeffreygao3956]

Because Dodos are PIGEONS!

[@aryamankejriwal5959]

The last line of this video is probably the best of any ted Ed video I’ve seen

[@LordBrittish]

We humans are excellent at blaming others for our mistakes.

[@mrrandom.]

The best life lessons are always from Ted ED. Keep it up!

[@abbytrandel4284]

I would love to hear about Tasmanian Tiger if that’s possible. I’ve heard there’s been Tasmanian Tiger still alive today, but it’s unconfirmed to this date.

[@deinsilverdrac8695]

it's really really REALLY unlikely. pseudoscience bigfoot, dino in the Congo and nessie level of unlikely. it probably survived a bit longer than we taught, but still went extinct during before the end of the 20th century. if you want more plausible survivors we have - Japanese wolf - japanese otter - somes Galapagos tortoise subspecies - ivory billed woodpecker and even there it's very unlikely any of them actually still exist.

[@aditisk99]

Shah! If they still alive, let them be in peace.

[@krimzon7622]

2:14 But everything changed when the Dutch Nation attacked

[@yazbee602]

As a Mauritian, thank you ❤

[@felineboy1586]

I love this channel so much not even an exaggeration

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Me toom

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

I meant me too.

[@SteveJian]

This is what people would get if they failed to learn that every action can lead to an unexpected consequence.

[@liamgrenouillaud2277]

As a Mauritian I’m so happy to see that the history of our island is spread world wide

[@Dheeraj5373]

The 🦤 is a fascinating yet tragic Bird of natural history. Native to the isolated island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, this unique avian species was marked by distinctive features-most notably, a large, hooked beak and a stout, robust body. Despite its seemingly clumsy appearance, the dodo had thrived in its isolated habitat, free from the presence of land mammals and predators. However, the arrival of Dutch people in the late 16th century, accompanied by introduced species like rats, pigs, and monkeys, set off a chain of events that would ultimately lead to the dodo's demise. The flightlessness of the dodo proved to be a fatal disadvantage in the face of these newfound threats. With no natural defenses against the invasive species brought by humans, the dodo population rapidly declined. The birds were not only hunted for food but also faced competition for resources from the introduced animals. The last confirmed sighting of a living dodo occurred in the late 17th century, and by the turn of the 18th century, this peculiar species had become extinct. The extinction of the dodo holds significance beyond its individual fate. It has come to symbolize the broader consequences of human impact on fragile ecosystems and the extinction crisis. The dodo's plight serves as a stark reminder of the irreversible consequences of environmental disruption, prompting reflection on the importance of conservation and the need to safeguard biodiversity in the face of ongoing anthropogenic changes. As we marvel at the curious tale of the dodo, we are urged to consider the broader implications for our responsibility in preserving the diversity of life on Earth.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Thank you for the information.

[@Dheeraj5373]

@@yellowstarproductions6743 chatgpt

[@blukmage19typeR]

"Dead 😵 as the dodo bird." -Bird Narrator from _"It's Tough to be a Bird"_

[@Suuuu349]

Such a meaningful video.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@nameunavailable07]

I love this channel so much, so entertaining and educational

[@mecahhannah]

❤Awesome as always thanks

[@mollyhoffman7313]

I adore the amazing application of alliteration and the fine slant rhymes of this video. It felt like poetry!

[@orphicswamp]

I LOVE the artstyle of his video especially at the start. Lush

[@Sadboynoah.]

Yay a new educational video I'm definitely cherishing this :)

[@TheAnikasis]

Good video, quite interesting.

[@thulium_3169]

I love this videos so much, can't believe I'm finally early

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Me too

[@SciMinute]

Such an insightful perspective on the Dodo's story! It's powerful reminder of how human actions and even popular culture can influence the course of evolution!

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Thank you!

[@baokhanhnguyen8096]

its always humans

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

True

[@Simp_Zone]

Yeah like when humans sent that meteor 65 million years ago

[@deinsilverdrac8695]

@@Simp_Zone 66 millions years ago. ANd you can't deny that pretty much all of the fauna, especially megafauna extinction that have happened in the last 500 000 years at least were because of humans activities and sheer stupidity, not just H. sapiens obviously. But as for the last 150 000 years of extinction, including the global mass extinction of megafauna (which left little to no survivors) was undoubtedly the result of our actions and their impact on the environment, directly or indirectly. Pretty much all of the extinct species of the Quaternary/Holocene you could find would still be here today if we weren't si destructive and nocive.

[@yurikadzz]

It's always because of europeans. British settlers also almost made the buffalo went extinct in order to subyugate native americans

[@perceivedvelocity9914]

When the native Americans first came to the Americas they drove a lot of species to extinction. When the aboriginal people first came to Australia they drove a lot of species to extinction. Humanity is an invasive species. It doesn't matter what color those people are.

[@llamingo696]

To be fair americans did it

[@Belena711]

That story is hits me right in the heart. They're not extinct, though. 🤨

[@deinsilverdrac8695]

If by british settlers you mean european-american (just like the one today), then yes. And you forgot all the species those native amerindians exterminated. - smilodon - american lion - several bisons species - camels - mastodont - woolly mammoth and columbian mammoth - wild horses - several pronghorns species - american cheetah - many ground sloths species - several giant armadillo relative and i could go on and on.

[@wjb4578]

​@@deinsilverdrac8695not hard to guess where your nationalism lies, and what (lack of) color it is.

[@bvillafuerte765]

Good video.

[@julianosvonskingrad7009]

My grandmother visited Mauritius quite often in the late 80th and 90th. She brought me a few Dodo toys. Since I can think of I know Dodos and they sadly disappeared.

[@pramodsingh7569]

Thanks

[@Irish_Island]

이렇게 좋은 컨텐츠를 한국어로 볼 수 있게 만들어주신 번역가님께 감사드리고 싶어요 덕분에 도움이 많이 되네요 물론 영상 제작자님도 말할 여지 없이 훌륭하시고요

[@ImBae]

love the dodo rebrand

[@Jevvv1191]

I'm from Mauritius, and I love videos about dodos! Let's not forget about Solitaires which were endemic to Rodrigues tho :>

[@jujitsujew23]

So incredibly sad

[@_BL4CKB1RD_]

I like this art style

[@soundsqueerbutokay]

Thank you TedEd for re-shaping the bad conception we have for dodo today.

[@evanrosman9226]

Rest in Peace dodo birds.

[@apnosaurus]

We actually have artwork of a live Dodo from Ustad Mansur, they were muscular but lean and with short brown plumage rather than fluffy blue/grey, and lacked the "iconic" tail and fluffy wings. Which is how I can say this video uses an outdated artistic render of one.

[@arcie3716]

I wish I can time travel and see dodos. They sound so fun to be around 🦤❤

[@ursatzotschew7541]

Oh I wish Dodos still existed; they seem kinda cute, but also just an extremely small impressive species!

[@karekkutu]

First time commenting on Ted Ed video 🎉😅

[@OneaeBlack]

If humanity was so very smart like they believe themselves to be, then they would also know better.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

True

[@OneaeBlack]

@@yellowstarproductions6743 Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@rumi2005]

One of the most Underrated extinct creature

[@gamingmastersiemion7511]

“This is some great turkey! Where did you get this?” “found a funny bird.”

[@skyfawen]

I like the animation

[@mirandatwumasi7737]

"..Until a couple millenia later when everything changed. In 1598 dutch sailors came ashore on Mauritius.." here we go.. *sigh*

[@abhischucky7056]

Am proud to be from Mauritius ❤

[@Bobcakes2326]

For some reason I always thought Dodo was from ages ago, like iron age or ice age or something. I didn't realise that they lived so recently!! They're basically like Quokkas

[@rigdigby4910]

I wonder what bird call they used for the dodo in this video

[@reberebe]

What a sad story

[@streetpanna1]

Dodos became extinct because Seed in the ice age cartoon stole their watermelons,so the didn't survive in the ice age 😂😂😂

[@mateodominguez3841]

I can understand how the animators found how to draw the dodo, but what about the sound? Is there any record of what it sounded like? Or did you guys just make a guess based on similar living species?

[@Hariach12]

Hey ted, how mediation reforms our brain

[@twinkieCatty]

I've seen the first Dodo bird on the Cartoon which "Ice age"🙃.....

[@mamasitas3566]

I remember reading a book about Dodos when I was a kid. I was very upset about their demise xD hope these silly birds come back somehow

[@ksr1581]

"somehow"? what, are we all going to go jurassic park on these birds?

[@ksr1581]

"somehow"? what, are we all going to go jurassic park on these birds?

[@ksr1581]

"somehow"? what, are we all going to go jurassic park on these birds?

[@user-fu7rx4mt6j]

that last thought really is a punch to humanity. if we really are seriously trying to revive extinct animals, we should start with dodos and other extinct endemic species before we go to dinosaurs. I wish to see the day we can see a live dodo, tasmanian tiger, etc.

[@starstorm1267]

I don’t know if dinosaurs can ever come back. Their dna is too old to revive, and most, if not almost all, of it is missing. We have better chances of bringing back animals that go back to the Ice Age, anything before that might be next to impossible

[@reggiep75]

Could you imagine trying to roast a dodo? Must've been massive

[@mestizaamericana]

😢

[@citizenmattify]

The Colonel tested his secret recipe on them

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

That is sorta true

[@lerona.martyr3811]

first it was two vids about how nukes are transported now this. Funny how Im getting recommended the same topics from different channels so close together.

[@aleckaminski6273]

I certainly was interesting to learn that the dodo was once thought to be a creature of fantasy. Perhaps they could make a video about the origin of dragons 🐲 , griffins, or even mermaids🧜‍♀️ and unicorns🦄 .

[@abhishekdeval8314]

Not many can survive the sudden onslaught of anything. We weren't prepared for COVID either.

[@ayaanamin3339]

wow

[@GustedAeolian]

RIP

[@deleted-something]

Damn I just researched them again

[@secretsri]

This will sound reductive: seems to me that as with most native populations, the dodo too met its unfortunate end due to European colonizers.

[@deinsilverdrac8695]

yes. did you went deaf and blind for half of the video ? WHO do you think introduced the invasives species and destroyed their habitat. WHO killed thousands of these birds for the meat.

[@ilovecandies_lollies]

"Perhaps it was easier to declare the dodo's extinction the result of its personal failing than to admit it was a human one." This is deep...

[@Narvadaful]

As as a mauritian I liked this video

[@vanivanov9571]

3:30 Bull, people knew species could disappear. A nobleman tried to save the Auroch in like the 16th or 17th century.

[@WillowEverlight]

Sad

[@sheepsheep_sheep1061]

It would have been intresting to see the depiction by artist Ustad Mansur as it is likely one of the most accurate depictions we know of but this video is great otherwise.

[@nawfalouarche329]

We ark players know that dodos are always in our hearts .

[@JesusMartinez-rr2ry]

Yet, humans still continue on blaming some animals' own "ineptitude" for being extinct or coming close to extinction. A well known example are giant pandas. A species that was endangered because of humans, yet the humans are still repeating the same mistakes they did to the dodo.

[@dedalo90]

Full explanation in ICE Age 1

[@user-wq4ok9ft6h]

Bruh. That was sad

[@somethingsomewheresometimes]

"so getting murdered was basically a non-issue" -my new fav Ted-Ed quote

[@isaiahnaegi645]

"Survival separates the Dodos from the Beasts (or was it Defeat)."

[@callmethecommentcountess9329]

I already know about the dodo bird thanks to wild Kratts

[@sudl963]

I was ok with the explanation from Ice Age hahaha

[@ScytheNoire]

Dodo's survived nature, but couldn't survive the interference of mankind.

[@AlexandriaZubia]

I'm totally not sobbing about the Dodo birds 😭😭😭😭

[@anthonyrayes]

“At the time, people didn’t recognize that species could disappear.” First : People still don’t recognize that species could disappear. Second : How in the world did people figure something could thrive, let alone live, as it’s being hunted over and over and over again? Did they think aliens would just bring more dodos to the world? Did they think the dodos were playing hide-and-seek?

[@pinkgreenmelon2209]

why did i yell yes when i saw this video pop up on my notifs

[@imherry4027]

This content appears in an IELTS reading test as i remember

[@medardbitangimana4580]

❤❤❤

[@harrisongerdes7078]

I wish we could bring them back.

[@TheCosmicLord-606]

Ok I feeling bad 😞😔 for dodo bird life like this RIP DODO bird

[@festivax]

myfavourite birdss

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

The dodo is my favorite extinct animal. Is the dodo your favorite animal? If not, then what is your favorite extinct animal?

[@Simp_Zone]

Oh ffs please enable auto generated subtitles. Some of us want correct timing!

[@user-lv4pb7ud8r]

Listening cambridge 16 4th test

[@windyism]

That's one sad story 😢 humans couldn't care less 😞

[@johnharrison7585]

Why should I care?

[@maxleroux]

If anyone wants to see what a real dodo might have looked like, then check out David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive. It's like Night at the Museum, but better.

[@deinsilverdrac8695]

Or better, a 32 minute documentaries which compile EVERYTHING we know about dodos so far, and how wrong most of our depiction are, including the one in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKW0gIWYbryHodE

[@isabelleblake8732]

currently crying in the club over injustices done to the dodo