Even four centuries after their extinction, people remain so fascinated with the dodo that they’ve added the flightless bird to their tattoo collection.
The first documentation of the dodo bird was by Dutch sailors in 1598. Less than 70 years later their habitat on the island nation of Mauritius was destroyed, they were hunted by sailors, and killed by introduced animals – all of which lead to their extinction over 400 years ago.
The sad reality is that in the future some animals will exist only in museums, in photographs, or as tattoos. The dodo has become a symbol of animal extinction and the protection of endangered species; hopefully something positive will come from the dodo’s demise.
As of 2018, no complete dodo specimen has been discovered, although there are enough skeletal remains for it be classified as a type of pigeon. Much of what scientists claim about the dodo is pure speculation as they have only illustrations (no photographs) and descriptions written by non-scientists, so the actual appearance of the dodo is relatively unknown.
Despite their extinction, the dodo has not been forgotten. The bird is part of the Mauritian coat of arms, is a watermark on their bank notes, and is featured on their coins.
A dodo tattoo allows you some more creativity with the design – as long as the distinctively-shaped beak and its body remains a certain shape and proportion. Be inspired by these tattoos to experiment with themes, styles and colours with your own dodo tattoo.
The Tattooed Archivist 