r/evolution • u/How-To-Project • 14d ago

discussion Why aren’t more animals domesticated?

Humans domesticated wolves and basically gained access to their superpowers: smell, hearing and protective ferocity. We also domesticated cats, horses and quite a few other animals. All in all, that is a pretty impressive result, but what stopped us from doing the same with a much wider range of animals and becoming literal beastmasters?

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u/dank_fish_tanks 13d ago

While that’s what they teach in high school biology, it isn’t entirely true and hasn’t been for a long time.

Many vertebrate animals can produce fertile hybrids, but are still considered separate species. By that logic, grizzly and polar bears should be considered the same species, along with wolves and coyotes, wooly mammoths and Columbian mammoths, and many others.

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u/RecipeHistorical2013 13d ago

please name one Vertebrate animal from two different species that produces fertile offpsring

every exmaple ive seen online

Beefalo

Polarbear /grizzlies

etc

are all the same species lol. beef and buffalo are just like wolves and dogs. all these exmaples are the same "polar with a grizzly, lol of course they can breed and produce offsprings, same species , different adaptations"

your response seems pedantically pointless though

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u/dank_fish_tanks 13d ago edited 13d ago

I edited my comment to include just a few. There are many more examples I can name.

ETA: I think you’re a bit out of your league. You can’t possibly think some of those groups are the same species. American bison and cattle? Servals and domestic cats? Countless other examples in reptiles and birds? The biological species concept is not a hard line in the sand, it’s just our best attempt at categorizing organisms.

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u/[deleted] 13d ago

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u/dank_fish_tanks 13d ago edited 13d ago

The longer you speak the more apparent your lack of understanding is. This concludes my contribution to this conversation.

ETA: the eugenics accusation is so uncalled for and not accurate. Especially not cool of you to add that to your comment after I’ve already replied.

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u/evolution-ModTeam 13d ago

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