Domestication is a process during which the lifestyle of a wild animal is significantly changed. What animals could get along with a person and began to benefit him? A wild dog was needed for hunting and protection, cattle and birds brought meat and milk, horses were an excellent means of transport, and cats helped get rid of rodents. Domesticated animals easily took root in human society and became its indispensable companions and helpers.
A bit of history
The domestication of farm animals dates back to the beginning of the Neolithic, which is about 9,000 years ago. Ancient farmers began by raising goats, then sheep, pigs, and cattle. The impetus for this was probably global warming at the end of the Ice Age, which caused drought in the countries of the Middle East and forced people to gather aroundreliable sources of water. The subsequent increase in population density reduced the effectiveness of hunting and gathering, and the cultivation of crops also could not fully meet the demand for food. Animal grazing was the only reliable source of protein-rich food in times of scarcity.
Domestic Animals Features
A pet is characterized by several features. First, it is bred in captivity for economic profit. Secondly, people manage the selection processes, territory organization and feeding. Domesticated animals are bred in captivity and tend to differ in anatomy and behavior from their wild ancestors. Stress and dependence on people leads to hormonal imbalance and disrupts growth in various parts of the body.
Captive breeding exaggerates these phenomena, resulting in submissive behavior, smaller body size, fat deposits under the skin, short jaws, teeth and brain. What is the difference between domesticated animals and wild counterparts? Besides the fact that they have a different appearance, they are even calmer and not as aggressive, as they do not need to defend themselves from predators and other adverse factors of the wild.
Dogs
The first domesticated animal is the dog, which many experts believe is descended from the wolf. Other researchers suggest that these closest human friends may have descended from the now-extinct wild dog. Both species are well awaresocial hierarchy, creating more complex and organized groups than any other species.
When the wolves began to clean up the garbage around the settlements, people began to take their puppies to serve as guards and hunters. Tamed by man, these wild domesticated animals easily took root in human society and became faithful companions for their owners.
Cattle
Records of cattle are found in the archaeological record of 6000 years ago in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Their common ancestor was the now extinct wild bull. There were many uses for these domesticated animals, including as a labor force, as well as the use of everything that they could provide - milk, meat, bones and fat (for burning).
Pigs
Pigs were domesticated from wild boars around the same time cattle were domesticated. In their behavior they are in many ways closer to dogs and people than the same cows. Pigs use bodily contact with other family members, build nests and beds. They are physically weak at birth and require significant parental care.
Horses
Domestic animals such as horses have been domesticated in various parts of the world. It is believed that this process began around the 3rd century BC. BC e. in Russia and Western Asia from a wild horse. These herbivores are particularly well suited tobreeding on dry plains.
At first they were even used as food, but endurance made them excellent vehicles for travel. The ability to transport a person has had a huge impact on the economy by accelerating the movement of people. It was indeed a necessary step in the development of human civilization.
Cats
What other animals have humans domesticated yet? Ancient archaeological finds show that the ancient Egyptians kept cats as pets as far back as a thousand years BC. e. These cute creatures are the exception to all domestication rules.
Wild cats helped get rid of rats and mice, thus protecting stored grain at a time when agriculture became widespread. These predominantly nocturnal predators were controlled with great difficulty. Interestingly, modern domesticated cats are not much different from their wild ancestors.
Size matters
Can domesticated animals be dangerous to humans? There is one huge factor that matters when it comes to attacking and endangering a person's life. Regardless of temperament, large animals can be deadly to their owners.
Every large domestic animal (horse, cow, camel, dog) can cause death. As they say, you can remove the beast from the wild, butyou can't take the wildlife out of the beast. There is always a risk, and the larger and stronger the animal, the more obvious this risk.
Environment shapes behavior
Domestic animals are not just robots that are programmed to behave in a certain way. However, any animal bred in captivity is likely to be significantly different from its wild counterparts.
For example, when comparing the traits of domestic and wild cats, you will have to take into account their environment. The behavior and psychology of these species form a lot of parallels. With enough food and away from the pressures and dangers of nature, animals change.
Most of them retain common traits of character at a young age, when the animals have not yet entered full-fledged adulthood. Little puppies and cubs, for example, will behave in much the same way.
As long as they are not kicked out of their nest (dens) to look for themselves in natural conditions, they will be incredibly kind, playful and sociable, since their hunting instinct is not developed to such an extent as to attack.
