Domestication is a long and complex process, and while some animals have become our companions over thousands of years, others remain untamed despite human interaction. But why is it that most wild animals are unable to be domesticated? The answer lies in a combination of biological, behavioral, and environmental factors that determine whether an animal is suitable for domestication.
The Evolution of Domestication
Domestication is different from taming. While taming involves conditioning an individual animal to tolerate human presence, domestication refers to the genetic modification of a species over generations through selective breeding. This process has shaped animals like dogs, cats, cattle, and horses into what we recognize today.
Our ancestors domesticated animals primarily for utility. Dogs were among the first animals to be domesticated, likely originating from wolves that scavenged near human camps. Over time, humans selectively bred the friendliest wolves, leading to the domesticated dogs we have today. Similarly, cats were drawn to human settlements because of the abundance of rodents, and in return, humans tolerated and later encouraged their presence.
Factors That Influence Domestication
Not all animals are suited for domestication. In his book Guns, Germs, and Steel, biologist Jared Diamond outlines several characteristics that make an animal more likely to be domesticated:
- Diet: Animals must have a diet that humans can easily provide. Carnivores, which require large amounts of meat, are harder to domesticate than herbivores or omnivores.
- Growth Rate: Animals that grow quickly are more desirable for domestication. Slow-growing species are less practical for farming or companionship.
- Breeding in Captivity: Some animals refuse to breed in captivity, making domestication impossible. Examples include cheetahs and pandas.
- Temperament: Aggressive or unpredictable animals are not good candidates for domestication. Domestic animals typically have a calmer disposition.
- Social Structure: Animals that live in hierarchical or pack-based societies are easier to integrate into human life. For example, humans assumed the role of pack leaders for domesticated dogs.
- Lack of Flight Response: Some wild animals are extremely skittish and flee at any sign of danger, making domestication nearly impossible.
Modern-Day Challenges to Domestication
In the present day, there are fewer incentives for domesticating new animals. The primary reasons for domestication in the past—hunting assistance, pest control, transportation, and agriculture—have been largely replaced by technology and modern infrastructure.
Additionally, laws and ethical concerns now play a role in preventing domestication efforts. Many developed countries have strict regulations about capturing and keeping wild animals, which limits the opportunity for close human-animal interactions.
The Case of Spotted Hyenas in Harar, Ethiopia
While large-scale domestication of new species is rare today, there are still instances where animals are undergoing a form of semi-domestication. One fascinating example is the spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in Harar, Ethiopia.
For centuries, the people of Harar have had a unique relationship with these hyenas. Unlike in other parts of Africa where hyenas are seen as dangerous scavengers, the locals in Harar actively feed them. This practice has created an extraordinary coexistence between humans and hyenas.
Why Are the Hyenas in Harar Becoming Semi-Domesticated?
- Food Availability: The hyenas are fed by the locals, reducing their need to hunt livestock or scavenge aggressively. This mirrors the way early humans may have lured wolves into domestication by offering food.
- Trust and Familiarity: Over time, the hyenas in Harar have learned to associate humans with food rather than danger. They are comfortable approaching people and do not exhibit typical wild aggression.
- Cultural and Spiritual Significance: The people of Harar believe that hyenas have spiritual importance and help ward off evil spirits. This reverence has led to continued interaction and respect between humans and hyenas.
- Selective Behavior: While not actively bred by humans, the tamest hyenas are the ones that continue this relationship. If this process were to continue for centuries with selective breeding, it could theoretically lead to full domestication.
Could Hyenas Eventually Be Domesticated?
If humans were to begin selectively breeding the most docile hyenas and encourage traits favorable to domestication, it is conceivable that they could become fully domesticated over many generations. However, there are challenges to this idea:
- Hyenas have complex social structures that differ from dogs. They live in matriarchal clans, and their hierarchy is not as easily influenced by human interaction.
- Their vocal and behavioral communication is different from that of traditional domestic animals, making training and control more difficult.
- Hyenas are still opportunistic predators and may retain their wild instincts even with human intervention.
Other Animals That Have Been Partially Domesticated
The Harar hyenas are not the only example of semi-domestication. Several other animals have shown similar patterns:
- Reindeer: Domesticated by the Sámi people for transportation and milk production, but wild reindeer still exist.
- Foxes: The Russian fox domestication experiment showed that selective breeding could produce tame foxes within just a few generations.
- Asian Elephants: Used for labor and cultural purposes, but never fully domesticated like horses.
Conclusion
While it is theoretically possible to domesticate more wild animals, the process is lengthy and requires selective breeding over many generations. In the modern era, there are few incentives to domesticate new species, and legal as well as ethical concerns often prevent such efforts.
The spotted hyenas of Harar, Ethiopia, offer a rare glimpse into how early domestication might have begun with other animals like wolves. If this unique relationship continues and evolves, it is not impossible that hyenas could become more like domestic animals in the distant future.
For now, however, most wild animals remain undomesticated due to factors such as diet, behavior, and their relationship with humans. Understanding these factors helps explain why we have relatively few domesticated species despite the vast diversity of animal life on Earth.
References and Further Reading:
- Diamond, J. (1997). Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. W.W. Norton & Company. https://www.wwnorton.com
- Dugatkin, L. A. (2017). How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog). University of Chicago Press. https://press.uchicago.edu
- Gade, D. W. (2006). “Hyenas and Humans: A Historical Overview”. Environmental History. https://academic.oup.com/envhis/article/11/3/500/398748
- BBC Earth (2021). “The Hyenas of Harar”. https://www.bbcearth.com/blog/article/hyenas-in-ethiopia
