Difference Between Wild And Domestic Animals
We all know that animals are free by nature, and it was not until the arrival of man that their features began to change generation after generation. An example of these changes have been dogs and cats, wild animals that live with us today.
Selection and adaptation
Life among its most notable aspects, has the ability to adapt in any environment that surrounds it. Animals are part of the chain of life, and that is why we see that different races and species that live with us on a daily basis.
But what really differentiates a wild animal from a domestic animal? Well, the answer may surprise many, and others may be bored or already know it.
Before solving this question we must first talk about what characterizes a wild animal: its attitude and its appearance in general. We cannot talk about all the species, due to how extensive the information on each one can be, but we can assess some similar aspects between each of them.
One of the qualities that stand out most among wild animals lies in their attitude when approaching elements that call their curiosity. The vast majority are cautious of great proportions, motivated by the fact that it may or may not be a distraction from a predator that threatens the life of the animal.
Another quality that stands out is the physical appearance of the animal itself; many animals use their fur and skin to blend into the environment to more appropriately stalk their prey. But it not only serves as camouflage, but also as a wake-up call for daring predators.
The colors serve as a form of warning from one animal to another about the qualities that it possesses, which most of the time is a sign of danger, since this species is poisonous, and they demonstrate it with vivid colors. Similarly, there are others that simulate these colors, and survive by fooling the rest.
Adaptation and domestication
Wolves were the first wild animals to be domesticated by man. It is believed that this process occurred when a member of our species began to share their food with a puppy or a young adult, thus achieving a rapprochement between the two species.
This process was repeated countless times, resulting in the wide variety of dog breeds that exist today. But it was not only with dogs, because the process also occurred with wild cats and other animals that today we call farm.
The characteristics of these domesticated animals are various: in contrast to wild animals, domestic animals do not tend to detach themselves much from the human being, so they lose a bit of that touch of freedom and curiosity that identifies them.
In the same way, the coat loses the rustic tone that adapts to the terrain to give way to a more friendly and visually accepted appearance for the human eye. We will no longer see in most cases those tones that blend in with the environment, or the garish colors that signal danger.
Many animals present physical transformations that are transmitted from generation to generation : quite a few reduce their size to be more palatable to man, and some even transform parts of their body to look friendlier and be desired by human beings.
Also, many breeds demonstrate a noticeable drop in aggressiveness towards any element, be it living or inanimate. Many breeds exhibit a childlike attitude that is very pleasing to humans, thus increasing their potential as a pet.
Everything according to its function
We already talked about the characteristics of wild and domestic animals, and we already answered a part of the question that we asked ourselves at the beginning of the article. In short, we can say that wild animals are more aggressive and are more adapted to the environment that surrounds them.
In the same way, domestic animals adapt according to the function that humans have devised for them over the generations. Dogs are hunters and faithful companions to human beings who obey their every command.
In the case of birds, they are raised as an easily accessible food source, saving the effort of entering the wild and exposing themselves to other wild predators. Hunting is a competition for the fittest and the loser usually pays with his life, and we are not just talking about the prey itself.
The truth is that we maintain a balance between each one, since they fulfill different functions in the world’s ecosystem. Having many copies of one can unbalance the chain of life.
