The dodo became extinct within 90 years of its discovery by Europeans. Its extinction was a result of over-hunting, habitat loss and competition from introduced animals. The popular image of the flightless bird comes from paintings made at the time but today scientists think it probably looked somewhat different.
What did the dodo really look like? The first reconstruction, made 200 years after the bird's extinction, cemented its public image. But was it right?
Habitat destruction almost certainly caused the extinction of the dodo and the giant tortoises. Could the ecosystem be restored by bringing similar species back?