The Dodo’s Eulogy: An Examination of the Impressions of Raphus cucullatusMain MenuTable of ContentsDiscovery and Early HistoryEarly ImpressionsEarly Cultural ImpactModern DevelopmentsPopular DepictionsHow Far We’ve ComeThe Non-Death of the DodoReferencesJacob T Fagnani3fb125824c10a503a6fa15f2705290553cf76e81Binghamton University, State University of New York
Ashmolean Museum, Dodo Skeleton and Statue (n.d.)
12019-04-02T00:25:14-07:00Jacob T Fagnani3fb125824c10a503a6fa15f2705290553cf76e81331563plain2019-05-12T01:32:12-07:00Jacob T Fagnani3fb125824c10a503a6fa15f2705290553cf76e81
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12019-03-26T00:46:58-07:00How Far We’ve Come12plain2019-05-09T15:17:04-07:00Major changes have occurred when it comes to the understanding of and appreciation for the dodo bird. Our impressions of the bird have shifted from considering it as a naive creature unsuited for survival to a highly evolved species that was forced to an untimely extinction by human interference. DNA analysis has allowed us to determine more about the dodo than ever was known before, such as which other bird species it is closely related to in terms of evolutionary history. More indepth research on its ecology enabled us to discover what role it played in its environment and led to its reclassification and current scientific name Raphus cucullatus, a name that reflects a better understanding of the species and how it fits into the world. Current research is investigating where dodos were shipped to and when exactly they went extinct. Analysis with forensics is being done on the remaining soft tissue at Oxford. This research has revealed that the very last dodo, the Oxford dodo, was killed by gun shot, perhaps as a result of target practice (Oxford Dodo n.d.). The room for changes to the initial impressions of the dodo is vast and rapidly being filled with newfound knowledge.
