 In 2005 , after a hundred years of neglect , a part of the Mare aux Songes swamp was excavated by an international team of researchers ( International Dodo Research Project ) . To prevent malaria , the British had covered the swamp with hard core during their rule over Mauritius , which had to be removed . Many remains were found , including bones of at least 17 dodos in various stages of maturity ( though no juveniles ) , and several bones obviously from the skeleton of one individual bird , which have been preserved in their natural position . These findings were made public in December 2005 in the Naturalis museum in Leiden . 63 % of the fossils found in the swamp belonged to turtles of the extinct Cylindraspis genus , and 7 @.@ 1 % belonged to dodos , which had been deposited within several centuries , 4 @,@ 000 years ago . Subsequent excavations suggested that dodos and other animals became mired in the Mare aux Songes while trying to reach water during a long period of severe drought about 4 @,@ 200 years ago . Furthermore , cyanobacteria thrived in the conditions created by the excrements of animals gathered around the swamp , which died of intoxication , dehydration , trampling , and miring . Though many small skeletal elements were found during the recent excavations of the swamp , few were found during the 19th century , probably owing to the employment of less refined methods when collecting . 
