A Symbol of Nature's Fragility and the Destructive Impacts of Colonialism

The Dodo is one of the most prominent symbols of animal extinction and an icon for species preservation.

The Dodo bird, native to Mauritius, has become a symbol of both the fragility of nature and the destructive impacts of colonialism. When European colonisers arrived in the 16th century, they brought invasive species (such as rats, pigs, and monkeys) that decimated the Dodo population. With no natural predators, the flightless bird was ill-equipped to survive these new threats. By the late 1600s, the Dodo was extinct. Its fate underscores the broader ecological and cultural consequences of European expansion, highlighting how colonialism disrupted not just human societies, but entire ecosystems, forever altering the landscapes and biodiversity of colonised territories.

(Personal work)

#Dodo #Mauritius #Colonialism #Conservation #Extinction #Animalillustration