WI Recent Large Animal Extinctions Were Averted?

[Ofaloaf]

This bird wouldn't make a good farm animal. As the name says they're solitary. Most domestics are group animals. But it could have been raised a delicacy for rich people to show off their money.

The wiki article notably puts the 'solitary' remark in quotation marks, and later goes on to describe breeding pairs as "highly territorial". Honestly, domesticated animals are not my forte, especially at 1 in the morning, but surely there might be some way to trick the Solitare into accepting other Solitares into close proximity without them being viewed as breaching territory. Possibly some sort of one rooster/many hens system?

 

[Michael B]

The Moa was already experiencing predation by Hapornis. Potentially, it could have adapted its behaviour and survival strategies. But it might have been that the shift from death from the skies to enemies on land was too great. Still, it would have only taken a little twitch for the Moa to start fleeing wildly at the sight of humans. And they might have endured.

Or possibly, a cultural difference. Say that the settlers have a different cultural tweak, and that they're much more primarily farmers than hunters. Less hunting there. But the trouble is that this trades off for habitat destruction, which is even worse for extinction.

1) Moa survivability could be increased if the Maori had a cultural ban against eating eggs, or at least large ones.

2) A more aggressive male might also push events in the Moa's favour. If the males were used to beating every one up for mating rights and protecting their harem, it would not take much for them to also attack humans encroaching on their territory.