The Great Dodo Comeback

by Fiona Sandiford

  “There are lots of ‘ifs’ though,” he continued. “If you could find ancient dodo bones that had been preserved in good condition, if you could take them back to the lab and get some DNA out of a bone, and if it was in a good enough state, you might be able to use it to create a new dodo chick inside an egg. If the egg hatched into a healthy bird, we could see the world’s first dodo in over three hundred years. Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

  “So amazing,” breathed Leni.

  “But before I even begin the process,” cautioned the professor, “I’d need to find good quality dodo DNA.”

  “DNA, that’s like, the building blocks of life,” she said.

  “That’s right. And my mission hinges on finding it,” said Professor Flowers. “We know that dodos only lived in one place in the world – here on Mauritius. Mauritius has lots of caves made out of old volcanoes and lava flows from past eruptions. If there were old dodo bones preserved in a lava cave and I could find them, I might be able to extract some ancient DNA from them.”

  “That’s awesome,” said Leni. “Is it hard to get the DNA out?”

  “Well,” replied the professor. “I’d need special equipment. And some help of course. And for that I’d call on…”

  He hesitated for a moment and Leni held her breath. She thought he was going to say “you”. “A pigeon,” he said.

  “Oh,” replied Leni flatly. “A pigeon?”

  “A pigeon?” squawked Popcorn.

  “Yes, a pigeon,” said Professor Flowers. “Dodos were part of the pigeon family and nowadays pigeons are their closest living relatives.” He wiped his glasses again with his hanky and put them back on. “It’s quite tricky, but what I’d do is I’d reconstruct the dodo’s DNA from the fragments of ancient DNA within the old bone, and put them together to make a genome – that’s a complete set of instructions for a living thing.”

  Leni nodded.

  “Then I’d take a pigeon cell, remove its original DNA and put the dodo DNA into the cell instead. Then I’d inject this new cell into an ordinary pigeon egg. Are you following?”

  “I think so,” said Leni slowly. “So it’d become a pigeon egg with a baby dodo growing inside it?”

  “Correct,” said the professor. “I’d ask a female and a male pigeon to play the parts of Mum and Dad. In nature, both pigeon parents take turns to sit on the egg to incubate it. Then if all went well, a dodo chick would hatch out. It’s a long shot, but if it worked it would be extraordinary!” His eyes lit up like stars.

  Leni couldn’t believe her ears. “I just wish Muppa was here to hear this,” she said to the professor.

  “Muppa?”

  “She’s my grandmother, the one who told me all about dodos,” Leni explained. “And she told me about other birds too. Birds that are still living in this country, that need our help to survive and not go extinct like the dodo. The pink pigeon, for instance. And the Mauritian kestrel…”

  “And of course the echo parakeet, like our friend Popcorn here,” added Professor Flowers.

  “Exactly,” said Leni. “Muppa opened my eyes to the world of birds and how important it is to look after them. But she’s gone now. I miss her so much.” Leni gazed into the distance, tears welling in her eyes.

  “Oh I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t want to upset you,” said Professor Flowers kindly.

  “That’s okay,” replied Leni.

  She decided to change the subject. “So, are you looking for any particular lava cave?” she asked.

  Taking a long match, the professor lit the wick of a lantern so they could see better in the fading light. “As a matter of fact there is a cave that I’m interested in exploring,” he answered. “But I haven’t been able to find it on my map.”

  “What’s it called?” asked Leni. “I might know where it is…”

  “La Grotte de Vulcan,” said the professor.

  “La Grotte de Vulcan? I know exactly where it is!” cried Leni. “It’s a very remote cave, up in the highlands.”

  She would have said more, but at that moment they heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. It was another guest, Leni realized, one who’d just checked in and been given a key to their accommodation by her parents.

  In the fading light, an open-topped jeep pulled up at the hut next to them. The headlights died as the driver switched off the engine. They heard the thud of heavy boots on sand and then saw the beam of a torch. The newcomer grabbed a large backpack from the passenger seat and walked up to the hut, numbered 603.

  The new arrival didn’t see them, and in the half-darkness, it was hard for them to make out a face properly. It was also partly obscured by a slouchy leather hat with a wide brim. But they could tell she was a woman. Professor Flowers peered through his glasses to try and get a better look. Then, all of a sudden, he let out a big groan.

  “I don’t believe it. It’s her,” he grumbled under his breath.

  “Who?” asked Leni.

  “Dratted ducks, why did she have to turn up?”

  “Who? Why did who turn up?” asked Leni.

  The woman unlocked her hut door and went inside, closing it behind her.

  “Oh it’s just…someone I didn’t expect to see here,” said Professor Flowers.

  “Who is she?” persisted Leni.

  “Who is she?” repeated Popcorn.

  Professor Flowers sighed. “Her name is Professor Celia Scissorson. She’s a rival of mine.”

  “Oh,” said Leni. “So she’s, like, another bird brain?”

  “You could say that,” replied Professor Flowers. “She’s a professor at the Australian Avian Research Facility. She’s a bit like me, but on the opposite side of the world. I should have known she’d have got wind of this lava cave rumour.”

  “You mean she’s on the trail of the dodo too?”

  “Without a doubt,” said the professor grimly. “Like me, she is a scientist with a particular interest in birds. We both want to de-extinct the dodo…but that’s about all we have in common.”

  Leni saw the lights go on inside the neighbouring hut.

  “We’re miles apart – not just literally, but also in our methods of working.”

  “So, you don’t think much of her work?” asked Leni.

  Professor Flowers paused to consider her question. “I wouldn’t say that,” he replied. “She’s achieved many remarkable things. For instance, she made the world’s first genetic copy of a kookaburra.”

  “Oh, I’ve heard of kookaburras,” said Leni. “They live in Australia, don’t they?”

  “That’s right. And she was the first to make a genetic copy of one – a clone. But we have different ideas and methods,” said Professor Flowers carefully. “What’s more, she has taken a definite dislike to me.

  “We’ve only met a few times, at conferences and the like,” he continued, “but we have never seen eye to eye. And now she’s here, she’s going to be under my feet. Oh dear. That’s shaken things up somewhat.”

  Leni thought for a moment. “You’re both here for the same purpose,” she said. “So why don’t you work together on de-extincting the dodo?”

  Professor Flowers looked at her as if she’d taken leave of her senses. “Are you cuckoo? Not on your life!” he barked. “Now we are both here, we will both want to be the first to de-extinct the dodo.”

  “Leni! Where are you? It’s dinner time!” a voice called through the darkness.

  “That’s my dad,” said Leni, getting up. “I’d better go.”

  “Better go!” shouted Popcorn.

  Leni jumped off her seat and, taking Popcorn with her, disappeared home, leaving sandy footprints in her wake.

  Leni was so excited that dinner time, she could hardy eat. “Professor Flowers is from England, and he’s trying to bring the dodo back to life,” she told her mum and dad. “Imagine if he actually does it! The professor in number 603 is trying to do the same thing, only she’s from Australia. I haven’t met her yet though.”

  Tha
t night, Leni dreamed about a huge pigeon with a white moustache driving a jeep. It stopped on the beach, got out and laid an egg on the sand. The egg wobbled and little cracks started to appear. But just as it was about to hatch, she woke up to the sound of Popcorn squawking.

  It was earlier than usual, but Leni bounced out of bed and, over breakfast, carried on talking about the professors.

  Her mother stroked her hair kindly. “Please don’t bother the professors too much,” she said. “They’re here to do important research. Besides, you’re on school holidays for three weeks and you’ve got lots of friends to play with.”

  Leni looked out towards the beach. White sand, blue sky. She could see it was going to be another perfect day, but she couldn’t help thinking about the dodo that might soon waddle along that beach again. It wasn’t even 7 a.m. yet, but Leni couldn’t resist going back to the huts.

  This time she found the other new guest, Professor Scissorson, outside number 603. She was middle-aged, tall and slim. She wore green safari shorts and a big brown hat, which bore the initials AARF and a kookaburra motif on the front. In the back seat of the jeep lay a couple of helmets with lights on the front and folded-up overalls. She’d laid out a large map on the bonnet and was studying it closely.

  “Good morning,” Leni said to the woman.

  The new guest looked up. “Oh, g’day,” she smiled back. “You’re an early bird.”

  “I live here with my parents, who own the huts,” she replied. “My name is Leni.”

  “Oh I see. Well I’m very pleased to meet you, Leni. My name’s Professor Celia Scissorson,” said the woman. “Hey, you might be able to help me actually,” she went on. “I assume you know this area well?”

  “Yes, pretty well,” Leni answered.

  “Sweet. You see, I’m working on an important project and I am looking for a cave.” She smoothed out the map and started examining it again. “But I can’t find it on here.”

  “Is it La Grotte de Vulcan, by any chance?” asked Leni.

  Professor Scissorson looked up abruptly. “Yes it is!” she said. “How did you know?”

  Before she could answer, the door of hut 187 opened and Professor Flowers stepped out. He was in his pyjamas. He yawned, stretched and took in the morning sunshine.

  “Oh, hi, Professor Flowers!” Leni called out.

  The English man turned towards her happy-sounding voice, but then stopped in his tracks at the sight of Professor Scissorson. As for the Australian, her jaw almost dropped to the ground when she saw who her new neighbour was.

  “How on earth?” she began. “How did he…?”

  But before she could say anything more, Leni piped up, “Professor Scissorson was just asking where La Grotte de Vulcan is!”

  Professor Flowers snorted crossly and made a big deal of ignoring her by scratching his back and staring out towards the ocean.

  “It’s not marked on the map,” Leni explained to Professor Scissorson. “And you can only get to it by one road. Actually, it’s more of a dirt track. But your jeep will be able to handle it.”

  No one knew what to say next. “Right…no worries,” said Professor Scissorson finally, although she actually looked pretty worried.

  “No worries, no worries!” squawked Popcorn.

  Professor Scissorson folded up her map and rummaged around in the back of the jeep. Leni could tell she was coming to terms with the shock of discovering that her arch rival was staying in the very next hut to her – and was probably after the same thing she was.

  “Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Leni chirped up. “You’re both looking for dodo bones and I know the territory. Why don’t we all go together and I’ll be your guide? It’ll be fun!”

  “Fun!” Popcorn repeated. “Fun!”

  Professor Flowers started doodling in the sand with his big toe and Professor Scissorson began to readjust the straps on her backpack. Neither of them was rude enough to just come out and say, “No.”

  So Leni took it as a yes. “I’ll just go and check it’s okay with my mum and dad,” she said. And before either professor could think of an excuse, she ran off, Popcorn flapping his wings behind her.

  Leni was so excited at the prospect of going on a cave-bound adventure that she was jumping around the room. “Please, Mum, can I take the professors to La Grotte de Vulcan – be their local guide? They’re saying there could be ancient dodo bones in it, just waiting to be discovered.”

  “I don’t know, Roshan,” her mum said, looking at her dad with concern. “It’s a rough track. That cave is so remote, and caves can be dangerous places...”

  “Don’t worry, the professors have lots of equipment,” said Leni. “They’ve got caving gear, torches, everything we’ll need. Professor Scissorson’s going to drive us up there in her jeep. Can I go? Please? Dad?”

  Her dad turned to her mum, “How about it, Manishi? She hasn’t been this excited for ages. She’s been down in the dumps since, you know…” His voice dropped and Leni knew it was because he was trying not to upset her. “Since we said goodbye to Muppa,” he whispered to his wife. “It might be just what she needs...”

  “Look,” said her mum. “You can go –” Leni grinned and jumped up but her mother wasn’t finished – “as long as you take the greatest care.”

  “Okay!” cried Leni. “I promise. Thanks, Mum and Dad!”

  She dashed back to the huts. Professor Flowers had got dressed and was now standing awkwardly beside Professor Scissorson, who was dabbing sunscreen onto her nose.

  “Come on, let’s go!” cried Leni. She let herself into the front passenger side of the open-topped jeep and Popcorn perched on the sturdy frame.

  The professors looked at each other. “After you,” said Professor Scissorson through gritted teeth, indicating the back seat to Professor Flowers.

  Professor Flowers clambered on board and then Professor Scissorson got in and started up the engine. Sand spat out behind the wheels in a brief flurry and they were away.

  As they drove through the jungle, towards the highlands, Leni proudly pointed out the birds up in the foliage. Even just seeing a glimpse of a tail feather was enough for her to be able to identify a species.

  The road headed on upwards, and soon became a dirt track. Valiantly, the jeep’s chunky wheels clung on. Leni glanced round at Professor Flowers, who seemed shaken up by the bumpy ride.

  “For pity’s sake, slow down,” he muttered, grabbing on to the door handle.

  Professor Scissorson glared at Professor Flowers in her rear-view mirror.

  “So, Leni,” she said, “are you interested in dodos too?”

  “Ye-e-e-e-s,” Leni shouted back. The jeep was bouncing over potholes in the road, making her voice shake. “I love all birds. I want to be an avian vet when I grow up.”

  Leni caught sight of a small lay-by ahead and asked Professor Scissorson to slow down. They paused at the roadside lookout. Dust hung in the air. But from this viewpoint, they could see the beautiful landscape spread out before them.

  There was lush forest inland, and faraway in the distance, towards the ocean, they spotted fields of sugar cane.

  “It’s stunning,” said Professor Scissorson, taking in the scene. “We’re right in dodo heartland.”

  “I remember Muppa telling me how important it is to care for the natural world,” said Leni. “That’s my grandmother – Muppa. It’s mainly because of her that I love the dodo and want to help you out. I just wish she could see me now…but she’s gone.” Leni looked off into the distance, the dust was getting into her eyes and they started to water.

  “I’m sorry,” said Professor Scissorson gently. “Did your grandmother pass away?”

  Leni wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “No,” she said. “She’s gone to Australia. Your part of the world. She’s staying with my uncle and aunt there.”

  “Oh,” said Professor Scissorson.

  “She’s helping them out with their new baby,” Leni went on. “My cousin. H
e’s only a month old. It’s the first time she’s left the island.” She blinked and scrunched up her face. “The dust is getting in my eyes, urgh!” she exclaimed.

  “I bet she’ll be thrilled to hear all your news,” said Professor Scissorson. She put her foot on the accelerator and the jeep sped up again, taking them further up the dirt track.

  “We’ve still got a way to go,” said the professor. “I mean the science, not the road,” she added. “We’re only just getting to the point where de-extinction is even thinkable. I’ve worked with many other birds in my career, but I’ve dreamed of de-extincting a dodo from day one. And now I’ve developed my own technique for doing it. It’s pretty revolutionary if I do say so myself.”

  Just then, they were interrupted by the sound of snoring. Leni looked behind her. Somehow, Professor Flowers had fallen asleep in the back.

  “Unbelievable,” said Professor Scissorson, annoyed. “Keeping you up, were we?” she snorted.

  “So what about him? What has he made?” asked Leni.

  Professor Scissorson harrumphed. “He was the first person to clone a barn owl,” she said.

  “Oh yes, I’ve heard of that,” Leni said brightly. “He took an owl’s cell and grew an exact copy of the bird from it. I think they called it the Twit Two?”

  “Between you and me, I think he did it more by accident than design,” snapped Professor Scissorson. “He’s absent-minded at the best of times. They say messiness is a sign of genius, but I’m not convinced…”

  “He managed to get here, didn’t he?” said Leni. “By land and boat as well.”

  “He certainly did,” Professor Scissorson huffed.

  Leni stared out into the skyline beyond, where the majestic volcano peaks kissed the sky. She couldn’t see why Professor Scissorson was so bitter about Professor Flowers, he seemed perfectly nice to her.

  “Anyway, we’re here to find dodo bones,” continued the Australian professor, gripping the steering wheel more firmly than ever. “I take it you know something of the dodo’s sorry history?”