“Unlocking Nature’s Secrets: What Keeps Certain Animals Wild and Untrainable?”
Every pet lover knows the joy of coming home to a wagging tail or a purring companion. But have you ever stopped to think about why most of us snuggle with dogs and cats, while the thought of having a polar bear or alligator lounging on the couch is more of a horror movie plot twist? It’s a wild world out there when it comes to our relationship with animals! The line between what makes a great pet and what belongs in a zoo is drawn by some pretty fascinating factors. So, what is it that allows some critters to be our cuddly companions while others are best left in the wild? Dive in and let’s unravel the mystery of animal domestication together. It’s a journey filled with surprising insights that might just make you reconsider your next pet choice! If you’re curious about how this whole domestication thing works, just CLICK HERE to LEARN MORE.
Millions of people across the world own at least one pet. In most cases, dogs and cats are the most preferred pet animals. However, there are people with unique tastes who may keep animals like lizards, guinea pigs, fish, or turtles. Even so, rarely will you find someone keeping a polar bear or an alligator as a pet. That’s because these animals do not fit the criteria to be domesticated. Not to mention, they are extremely dangerous. This is why the only place you may get to see them is strictly at the zoo. So, why can some animals be domesticated and others can’t? Find out here.
What Is Animal Domestication?
Domestication refers to animals that have been tamed and can be kept in a home or farm. These animals have a mutual relationship with human beings. For instance, cats offer companionship while taking care of vermin in a household. On the other hand, humans feed the cats and provide them with a better quality of life.
As for dogs, they also offer companionship and security while humans take proper care of them. Most animals that are domesticated today were tamed about 10,000 years ago. They have been present for at least ten generations of humankind.
Factors That Determine Whether An Animal Can Be Domesticated
According to experts, there are six factors that determine whether an animal can or can’t be domesticated. They include:
1. Ability to Find Food Within Human Settlements
For an animal to be domesticated, it must be able to find food within human settlements. Take dogs and cats as an example. These two animals can easily find food within a household. While it’s true that dogs were domesticated from the gray wolf that only ate meat, they eventually started adapting to other foods such as crops and potatoes. They evolved into animals that could eat the same food as humans, thus creating a more convenient co-existence.
2. Rate of Maturity
For an animal to be conveniently domesticated, it ideally should have a faster maturity rate. As aforementioned, humans domesticate animals for mutual gain. As such, it wouldn’t make sense to domesticate an animal that takes longer to mature compared to the human lifespan. This explains why cows and goats are popular domestic animals. They mature quicker than humans, giving the latter enough time to benefit from the animals.
3. Ability and Willingness to Breed in Captivity
The other attribute of domesticated animals is the willingness to breed in captivity. Not many people know this, but different animals have varying breeding rituals. Animals like chickens have become so accustomed to breeding in captivity that they can lay tens of eggs without problems.
The same can’t be said for animals like the big cat family. They have a lengthy courtship duration, which can be a huge problem for animals in captivity. People who keep animals such as Cheetahs in captivity have a hard time getting them to breed.
4. The Animal’s Aggressiveness
It is impossible to domesticate an aggressive animal. A study done by UCLA showed that aggressiveness in animals is determined by the environment they grew up in and their size. This is why it is extremely difficult to domesticate a wild animal, especially if it is big. Besides being unpredictable, wild animals consider humans a potential threat or enemy. Therefore, if they are bigger than you, they may decide to put up a fight instead of running away. Picture such a scenario in a home setting.
5. The Animal’s Ability and Willingness to Give Up Dominance to Humans
Another essential trait that determines if an animal can be domesticated is its ability and willingness to give up dominance to human beings. Animals such as hippos and elephants would make excellent work animals because of their strength and endurance. However, these two animals can not submit to human beings. Instead, they view humans as a threat.
Without the power to dominate an animal, it becomes impossible to command it, let alone instruct it to do something. Look at animals such as dogs. No matter how big or cunning they are, they have been trained to know that humans are in charge. This has become part of their DNA.
6. Flight Tendencies
Finally, an animal that can be domesticated shouldn’t have strong flight tendencies. A deer or a gazelle would be excellent domestic animals, but they have extreme flight tendencies. They run immediately when they spot a human, which would be problematic in a farm setting.
Sheep scare easily. However, thanks to their flock mentality, they prefer to stick together rather than running away when frightened. This makes them perfect for domestication.
How Many Animals Can Be Domesticated?
Because of the above criteria, out of hundreds of animals, only 14 have been domesticated. They include cats, dogs, sheep, goats, pigs, cows, donkeys, chickens, camels, yaks, alpacas and several others. On the other end of the spectrum, animals like crocodiles, lions, and kangaroos are impossible to domesticate. This is because they are generally unsafe, and even if much effort was put into taming them, these creatures would be removed from their natural habitat. They definitely wouldn’t be happy living with people or in captivity. Can you imagine a polar bear living in a condo?
The Key Takeaway
On social media, it’s not strange to come across people with exotic pets, such as tigers or foxes. Though it is possible to tame a wild animal, it’s not recommended. Quite often, these animals end up mauling or injuring their owners or handlers because it’s in their nature to subdue humans rather than be under their command. Not to mention, keeping a wild animal as a pet is super expensive. That’s why it’s only practiced by the super-wealthy. For instance, Mike Tyson had a pet tiger, and Melanie Griffith had a pet lion.
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