This page gives a list of domesticated animals, also including a list of animals which are or may be currently undergoing the process of domestication and animals that have an extensive relationship with humans beyond simple predation. This includes species which are semi-domesticated, undomesticated but captive-bred on a commercial scale, or commonly wild-caught, at least occasionally captive-bred, and tameable. In order to be considered fully domesticated, most species have undergone significant genetic, behavioural and morphological changes from their wild ancestors, while others have changed very little from their wild ancestors despite hundreds or thousands of years of potential selective breeding. Many factors determine how quickly any changes may occur in a species, but there is not always a desire to improve a species from its wild form. Domestication is a gradual process, so there is no precise moment in the history of a given species when it can be considered to have become fully domesticated.
Zooarchaeology has identified three classes of animal domesticates:
Pets (dogs, cats, ferrets, hamsters, etc.) Livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, etc.) Working animal (horses, camels, donkeys, etc.)
Domesticated animals
Species and subspecies Wild ancestor Date Location of origin Purposes Image Changes from wild ancestor/ Notes Extent in the wild vs. captivity Taxon groupDomestic dog (Canis familiaris)Extinct Pleistocene population of the grey wolf (Canis lupus ssp.)13,000 BCEChina, Europe in different places in Asiameat, leather, fiber, hunting, herding, guarding, fighting, racing, working, rescuing, guiding, policing, draft, pack, sport, service, therapy, narcotics detection, truffle harvesting, pest control, research, education, show, pets Tame (with exceptions), significant physical changes, probably significant behavioral changes as well Domestic and feral dogs both very common, ancestor or nearest wild relative less common, but not rare1c CarnivoraDomestic sheep (Ovis aries) Possibly the Armenian mouflon (Ovis gmelini gmelini) 11 000 BCE to 9000 BCEAnatolia, Iranmeat, milk, fiber, leather, hides, pelts, horns, vellum, manure, guarding, fighting, racing, lawn mowing, weed control, research, ornamental, show, pets Some physical changes Common in captivity, threatened in the wild1b BovidaeDomestic pig (Sus domesticus)Anatolian boar (Sus scrofa libycus), Northern Chinese boar (Sus scrofa moupinensis) 9400 BCEChina, Western Asiameat, leather, tusks, manure, guarding, fighting, racing, truffle harvesting, weed control, research, show, pets Some physical changes Common in the wild, much more common in captivity, feral populations common in some areas1a Artiodactyla except BovidaeEuropean cattle or taurine cattle (Bos taurus)Eurasian aurochs (Bos primigenius primigenius)† 8500 BCESource : Laboratoire de Préhistoire et Protohistoire de l'Ouest de la France , .China, Western Asiameat, milk, leather, hides, fiber, horns, vellum, blood, dung, working, plowing, guarding, fighting, racing, draft, mount, soil fertilization, lawn mowing, weed control, worship, show, pets Considerable physical changes. Some female breeds featuring larger, pronounced udder Very common in captivity, wild relatives extinct, feral populations fairly common1b BovidaeDomestic goat (Capra hircus)Bezoar ibex (Capra aegagrus aegagrus) 8000 BCEIranmilk, meat, fiber, skin, horns, vellum, manure, guarding, fighting, racing, lawn mowing, weed control, clearing land, show, pets Slight physical changes Common in captivity, threatened in the wild, feral populations common1b BovidaeZebu, Brahman cattle, indicine cattle or humped cattle (Bos indicus)Indian aurochs (Bos primigenius namadicus)† 8000 BCEIndian subcontinentmeat, milk, leather, hides, horns, vellum, blood, dung, working, plowing, fighting, racing, draft, soil fertilization, lawn mowing, show, pets Considerable physical changes Common in captivity, wild relatives extinct1b BovidaeDomestic cat or house cat (Felis catus)Common North African wildcat (Felis lybica lybica) 8000–7500 BCEthe Near Eastmeat, pelts, pest control, research, show, pets Tame, slight physical changes Very abundant in captivity; true wildcat species less abundant, though not rare, feral populations very common1c CarnivoraDomestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)Indian red junglefowl (Gallus gallus murghi) with some contribution from the grey junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii) 6000 BCE1650 to 1250 BCEIndia and Southeast Asia/Thailandmeat, eggs, feathers, leather, manure, guarding, alarming, fighting, racing, pest control, weed control, ornamental, show, pets Some physical changes, considerable reproductive changes Extremely common in captivity, common in the wild2b GalliformesGuinea pig (Cavia porcellus)Montane guinea pig (Cavia tschudii) 5000 BCEPerumeat, manure, racing, lawn mowing, weed control, research, show, pets Tame, slight physical changes Somewhat common in the wild and in captivity1d RodentiaDomestic donkey, domestic ass or burro (Equus asinus)African wild ass (Equus africanus), including subspecies Nubian (E. a. africanus) and Somali wild ass (E. a. somaliensis) 5000 BCERoger Blench,