AHC: Save the dodo bird

Either the island becomes the personal property of some Arabian monarch and entry is prohibited, or the island itself isn't settled until the late 19th century/early 20th century when modern ecological conservation methods are in place. Even in the latter the dodo will still probably end up extinct in the wild, possibly being restricted as a pet or livestock species only.
 
I've always thought an indigenous civilization (basically a Malagasy offshoot) would preserve them at the very least and likely domesticate them the same way peacocks were domesticated. Given they'd become rare within a century or two of settlement, they'd potentially become associated with upper class individuals. Their meat and body parts might become prized for certain cultural practices/traditional medicine etc.
 

SwampTiger

Banned
Austronesian colonists of Madagascar stumble across Mauritius on their travels westward. They semi-domesticate the bird to add to their food package. Upon reaching Madagascar, the complete domestication of the bird continues with a preference for birds with multiple egg clutches. The dodo becomes a preferred food of the inhabitants.

Alternately, the Arabo-Indians collect several dozen birds in the Middle Ages for the menageries of the wealthy rulers. The bird survives until modern times through these collections.
 
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