Why did the dodo become extinct?

The dodo bird, or Raphus cucullatus, became completely extinct around 1800. While thousands of these birds were slaughtered for meat, it it generally believed that their demise was primarily due to pigs and monkeys eating their eggs.

The birds were native to the Mascarene Islands in the Central Indian Ocean. They became extince on Mauritius around 1680 and on Reunion Island about 1750. They remained on Rodriguez until 1800.

Source: The Handy Science Answer Book. Posted by admin for the science best selling toys of 2008.