WHAT IS DOMESTICATION?
WHAT IS DOMESTICATION?
• Domestication is the process of adapting
wild plants and animals for human use.
• Domestic species are raised for food, work,
clothing, medicine, and many other uses.
• The first attempt of domestication was
made in the Old World during the
Mesolithic Period.
EARLY DOMESTICATION
- Humans begin domesticating animals more than
10, 000 yrs. ago.
- Domestication involves more than simply taming.
Animals are considered to be domesticated when:
• they are kept for a distinct purpose
• humans control their breeding
• their survival depends on humans
• they develop traits that are not found in the
wild
ANIMAL DOMESTICATION
• Since the Neolithic period, humans struggled
to domesticate wild animals and use them as
food sources (milk and meat), commodity
manufacturers (silk and wool), protection, and
transportation.
Three Main Groups
• Domestication for Companionship
• Animals Farmed for Food
• Working or Draft Animals
EXAMPLES of DOMESTICATED ANIMALS
DOG(Canis familiaris)
• first animal to be domesticated
by humans more than 15,000 yrs. ago.
• wild ancestor- grey wolf
• domesticated in Eastern and Western
Eurasia from different wolf populations.
CATTLE(Bos taurus)
• domesticated 10,000-15,000 yrs. ago in
Central Anatolia, the Levant and Western Iran.
• wild ancestor- Eurasian Aurochs(Bos
primigenius primigenius)
SHEEP(Ovis aries)
• domesticated in the mountains of Southest
Europe and Central/Southwest Asia 11,000-15,000
yrs. ago
• wild ancestor- Armenian Mouflon
• favorable because of their wool and meat
GOAT(Capra hircus)
• Fertile Crescent Land- first domestication habitat for
goat in Western Asia around 6000-7000 B.C.
• wild ancestor- Bezoar Ibex
• the domestication has a significant role in human
society by providing valued products such as milk,
meat, furs, and fiber, predominantly in China(Joshi, 2004).
CAT(Felis catus)
• first domesticated in the Near East
around 8000-7500 BCE
• wild ancestor- African Wildcat
HORSE(Equus caballus)
• first domesticated in the steppes of
Kazakhstan 5,000 yrs. ago.
• wild ancestor- Tarpan or European
wild horse
Buffalo(Bubalus bubalis)
• domesticated approximately 5,000 yrs. ago
in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. This area
includes the countries of Mongolia and Siberia.
• wild ancestor- Wild Water Buffalo
2 Types of Domestic Water Buffalo
• a.) Swamp Buffalo ( B. bubalis carabenesis)
• b.) Riverine Buffalo (B. bubalis bubalis)
CHICKEN(Gallus gallus domesticus)
• first domesticated in South Asia and Southeast
Asia at 6000 BCE
• wild ancestor- Bangladesh Red Junglefowl
with some contribution from the Grey Junglefowl
• PIG(Sus domesticus)
• first domesticated in Western Asia 5,000-9,000 yrs. ago
• wild ancestors- Anatolian Boar and Northern Chinese Boar
What are the impacts of
human domestication on
animals?
Positive Impacts on Humans
Food Resources
 Labor
 Companionship
Positive Impacts on Society
 Economic Contributions
 Scientific Advancements
Positive Impacts on Animals
 Protection and Care
 Enhanced Lifespans
Negative Impacts on Humans
 Health Risks
 Economic Dependency
Negative Impacts on Society
 Environmental Degradation
 Economic Inequality
Negative Impacts on Animals
 Loss of Natural Behaviors
 Health Issues
 Dependence on Humans
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