Does that strike you as an unusual path for an intelligent species to become space faring? We have yet to unlock the Singularity shortcut that leaves us with replicators and free energy.

I would expect any civilization to exterminate or at least cull the creatures that pose a threat and to cultivate those that are tasty or useful.

>We have yet to unlock the Singularity shortcut that leaves us with replicators and free energy.

That leaves our successor species, the machine minds, with replicators and free energy, I think you mean.