Dodo - Mauritius

Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands, a small archipelago formed by the Réunion hotspot. This volcanic zone has been active over the last 65 million years and is responsible for creating the island of Mauritius 8 to 10 million years ago. It also formed the islands of Rodrigues and Réunion 2 million years ago.

- - - - -

Raphus cucllatus - The dodo was first sighted by Portuguese sailors in 1507. They described it as a sluggish bird and not afraid of humans. It was a flightless bird, slightly larger than a turkey, and weighing a hefty 23 kilos. The dodo is one of three species making up the family Raphidae. The last recorded sighting of the dodo occurred in 1681. The two other members of the Raphidae family, the Réunion and Rodrigues solitaire, also became extinct. The dodo disappeared less than 100 years after their first encounter with humans.

Bottle Palm - Mauritius

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis - The bottle palm is native to Round Island, a small island located about 20 kilometers from the main island of Mauritius. It is mistakenly assumed the odd shaped trunk is the result of water storage capabilities. The swollen trunks of young palms resemble the shape of bottles, but the trunk evens out as the tree matures. Severe habitat loss has put the bottle palm in critical danger within its native range, but it is cultivated throughout the tropical zones of the world.

- - - - -

Mauritius had been visited by Arab and Portuguese seafarers, but it was the Dutch who built the first permanent settlement on the island in 1638, naming the site in honor of Prince Maurice van Nassau. The Dutch colony was unsuccessful and abandoned in 1710. Shortly after the Dutch retreat, the French made an attempt and succeeded in colonizing the island. The French retained control of Mauritius until losing the island to the British in 1810. In 1968, Mauritius became an independent nation.