▲ 9 r/Paleontology
Did young dodos have natural predators?
(Image 1 is a Mauritius scops owl, image 2 is a round island burrowing boa, and image 3 is a dodo.)
As we have heard, the dodo had no natural possibpredators and therefore lacked any significant fear of humans. But I’ve been wondering, did hatchlings, and young dodos face threats?
The 2 predators I included here were a Mauritius scops owl (a scops
Owl that went extinct in Mauritius) and a round island burrowing boa. (Also formerly inhabited Mauritius). I think it is a possibly that dodo hatchlings and babies may have been preyed upon by them. I haven’t seen many people talk about it.
Owls are pretty powerful, and I’m sure a young dodo would be in its sights if the parents aren’t around, and a boa could theoretically eat the eggs or hatchlings.
u/JustANormalCoolGuy — 8 days ago