Dodo

The Dodo is a byword for extinction and whilst none of us have ever seen a living Dodo it somehow feels familiar even though we know virtually nothing about it. As Brett Westwood traces our relationship with this icon of extinction, he meets a man whose home is a shrine of Dodo memorabilia, follows the auction of a Dodo skeleton, hears how a head and a foot inspired a famous Caucus race and handles a selection of beautiful Dodo bones. With the help of Lewis Carroll, this bizarre looking bird has captured our hearts and imagination, whilst the true story of this flightless pigeon is a poignant tale. Producer Sarah Blunt