The dodo, a large, flightless bird endemic to Mauritius, became extinct around 1681 due to human hunting and the introduction of invasive species. The dodo is perhaps the most famous example of human-caused extinction, a symbol of humanity's destructive power over nature. Its story has become a cautionary tale about the fragility of ecosystems and the consequences of human expansion.

The dodo has become a powerful symbol in literature and poetry of loss, extinction, and the irreversible consequences of human action. Its name, which entered the English language in the 17th century, itself a word for a dull or stupid person, speaks to how we often mythologize the species we destroy. The dodo has come to represent the lost world of non-human others and our own capacity for thoughtless destruction, a theme ever-present in modern environmental writing.