What is the difference between domesticated animals and wild animals?

Domestication is a process during which the life style of a wild animal changes significantly. What animals could live with a man 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 vehicle, and cats helped to get rid of rodents. Domesticated animals easily took root in human society and became its irreplaceable companions and assistants.

A bit of history

Domestication of animals for agricultural purposes dates back to the beginning of the Neolithic age, and this is about 9,000 years ago. Ancient farmers began with the breeding of goats, then sheep, pigs and cattle. The incentive for this was probably global warming at the end of the Ice Age, which caused drought in the Middle East and forced people to gather around reliable sources of water. The subsequent increase in population density reduced the efficiency of hunting and gathering, and the cultivation of crops also could not fully meet the demand for food. Grazing animals was the only reliable source of protein-rich food in times of scarcity.

Domesticated animals: features

A pet is characterized by several symptoms. First, it is bred in captivity for economic profit. Secondly, people control the processes of selection, organization of territory and feeding. Domesticated animals are bred in captivity and, as a rule, 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.

Breeding in captivity exaggerates these phenomena, which leads to submissive behavior, smaller body size, fat deposition under the skin, shortening of the jaws, teeth and brain. What is the difference between domesticated animals and wild relatives? In addition, they have a different appearance, they are even calmer and not so aggressive, as they do not need to protect themselves from predators and other unfavorable wildlife factors.

Dogs

The first domesticated animal is a dog, which, according to many experts, originated from a wolf. Other researchers suggest that these closest human friends may have originated from the now extinct wild dog. Both species are well aware of the social hierarchy, creating more complex and organized groups than any other species.

When the wolves began to clean up garbage around the settlements, people began to take pups for themselves as guards and hunters. Tamed by humans, these wild domesticated animals have easily taken root in human society and become faithful companions for their masters.

Cattle

Records about large cattle are available in the archaeological record of 6000-year-old Egypt and Mesopotamia. Their common ancestor was now extinct wild bull. For these domesticated animals, many uses have been found, including as labor force, as well as using all that they could give - milk, meat, bones and fat (for burning).

Pigs

Pigs were domesticated from wild boars at about the same time as cattle were tamed. In their behavior they are in many ways closer to dogs and people than the same cows. Pigs use physical contact with other family members, build nests and beds. They are physically weak at birth and require significant parental care.

Horses

Such domesticated animals, like horses, have been tamed in various parts of the world. It is believed that this process began approximately in the III century. BC. E. In Russia and West Asia from a wild horse. These herbivores are especially suitable for breeding on dry plains.

At first they were even used for food, but endurance allowed them to make them excellent vehicles for traveling. The ability to transport a man has had a huge impact on the economy by accelerating the movement of people. This was in fact the necessary step in the development of human civilization.

Cats

What animals have domesticated a person yet? Ancient archaeological finds indicate that the ancient Egyptians kept cats as pets a thousand years BC. E. These cute creatures are an exception to all the rules of domestication.

Wild cats helped get rid of rats and mice, thus protecting the stored grain at a time when agriculture has become widespread. These predominantly nocturnal predators were controlled with great difficulty. It is interesting that 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 threatening a person's life. Regardless of the nature, large animals can be deadly to their masters.

Each large pet (horse, cow, camel, dog) can cause death. As they say, you can remove the beast from the wild, but you can not remove wildlife from the beast. There is always a risk, and the bigger and stronger the animal, the more obvious the risk.

The environment shapes behavior

Domesticated animals are not just robots that are programmed to behave in a certain way. However, any beast grown in captivity is likely to be significantly different from its wild counterparts.

For example, comparing the features of domestic and wild cats, they will have to take into account their environment. The behavior and psychology of these species form many parallels. Having enough food and being away from excess pressure and dangers that are in nature, animals change.

Most of them retain common character traits at a young age, when animals have not yet entered a full adult life. Small puppies and cubs, for example, will behave approximately equally.

Until they were kicked out of the nest (dens) to seek themselves in natural conditions, they would be incredibly kind, playful and communicative, since their hunting instinct is not developed to such an extent as to attack.