Zebras and Unhappy Marriages: A serious discussion

luokehao

The chapter of this book that has captured my attention ever since I was given it as a present has been "Zebras and Unhappy Marriages" about the domestication of animals.

Eversince I failed to contact Diamond by e-mail about the chapter, I have wanted to talk with as many people as I can about it because I feel that his discussion of the "Ancient Fourteen" was not detailed enough in that it failed to explain, in particular,what might CAUSE the evolution of species to produce those characteristics that would allow domestication.

Also, the question of bird domestications could be looked at in more detail.

When did bird domestications end and did early farmers attempt to domesticate many bird species that were unsuitable? The mere fact that New Guineans kept cassowaries as pets suggested they at least did attempt domestication of bird species that were not suitable for being domesticated.

Edited by: luokehao at: 3/8/06 4:12 am

pegasus563

I don't think any evolutionary change caused some animals to be more suitable for domestication than others. I think that some animals simply were more suitable because of their natural temperment, location, and because they were able to live and breed in captivity.

Over time, I think, the ancestors of the present day domesticated animals evolved into what they are today because of artificial selection. The people who raised these animals bread them so that they could create a species that was easier for them to raise. They still do that with dogs, breeding them for temperment.

So I don't really think it was the evolution of certain animals that made them originally more suitable for domestication. I think when humans advanced into civilizations ready to begin domesticating animals, they chose the animals that were nearby and were the easiest to tame at the time.

Edited by: pegasus563 at: 3/16/06 2:01 pm


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