Volkert Evertsz

Volkert Evertsz (patronymic of Evertszoon) was a Dutch mariner who was shipwrecked on the island of Mauritius and was supposedly the last human to see the dodo alive in 1662.

A survior of the shipwreck "Arnhem", Evertsz and other party members waded ashore an islet off the coast of Mauritius in 1662 and found Dodos and other non-flying birds. Evertsz also noted that predatory animals that were on mainland Mauritius, such as pigs, cats and others were not present here - the only introduced animals were goats.

In 2004, a significant amount of research was conducted in trying to find the islet where this sighting was made. A report by Anthony Cheke for the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences of Mauritius, entitled "The Dodo’s last island – where did Volkert Evertsz meet the last wild Dodos?" documents the details of research. [ [http://www.dodobooks.com/files/Cheke2004DodosLastIsland.pdf Last Final Royal ] ]

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