Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
The dodo was a flightless bird that lived on the island nation of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It is a case study of extinction caused by humans.
The dodo had adapted to its isolated ecosystem but was unprepared for the arrival of people. It was first encountered by Dutch sailors in 1598.
New research has documented the extinction of 610 bird species over the past 130,000 years, alongside the global spread of humans. The crisis has only gotten worse in recent decades.
Researchers said it has negatively impacted the environment, as losing these birds erased their role in the ecosystem.
Most of the documented extinctions occurred on islands. Habitat loss can have huge effects given the isolation and reduced area involved.
Answer: 610
