The dodo bird inhabited the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, where it lived undisturbed for years. It lost its ability to fly, and it lived and nested on the ground, where it ate fruits that had fallen from trees. There were no mammals living on the island until 1505, when the first humans set foot on Mauritius. The island quickly became a stopover for ships engaged in the spice trade. The dodo was a welcome source of fresh meat for the sailors, and large numbers of dodos were killed for food. In time, pigs, monkeys, and rats that had been brought to the island ate the dodo eggs in the ground nests. Which statement describes what most likely happened to the dodo bird within 100 years of the arrival of humans on Mauritius?

Question

What Happened to the Dodo Bird? - WorldAtlas

a
The dodo bird population decreased because humans outcompeted with them for resources.
b
The dodo bird population increased after dodo birds learned to build their nests in trees.
c
The dodo bird population decreased because of human exploitation and introduced species.
d
The dodo bird population increased because dodo birds preyed upon the introduced species.

Answer 1

The correct statement that describes what most likely happened to the dodo bird within 100 years of the arrival of humans on Mauritius is:

c The dodo bird population decreased because of human exploitation and introduced species.

This is supported by the information provided, which details how humans hunted dodos for food and how introduced species like pigs, monkeys, and rats contributed to the decline of the dodo population by eating their eggs.