What Dangerous Animals Can Survive In The Cold

Melissa cares for a variety of exotic animals and has completed a certificate in veterinary assisting and a bachelor's degree in biology.

Why Domestication Has Nothing to Practise With How Dangerous Pets Are

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Differences Between Wildlife and Domesticated Animals

Information technology is very common to hear people say things like "Y'all can take the animal out of the wild but you lot can't take the wild out of the animal," or an even more than ridiculous statement: "All wild fauna can be dangerous." You might have even heard some people country that wildlife are dangerous, menstruum. Compared to what, exactly?

I'll permit you lot in on a surprising hugger-mugger. And so-called wild animals are not all unsafe in captivity, and some so-called domesticated animals are. This is an indisputable fact. If y'all don't believe this, I can easily prove it.

What Is the Definition of a Wild Fauna?

A wild brute is an fauna that lives in the wild, gratis from homo influence. Here are three wild animals that are completely harmless to humans:

• the green frog (Lithobates clamitans)
• the house sparrow (Passer domesticus)
• the eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Definitions Matter

And then what's up with these statements exclaiming that wildlife are dangerous?

At present agree on a 2d, when we said "wild animal" nosotros meant animals like tigers, sharks, and crocodiles, not piddling frogs!

Well, gee how was I supposed to know that? Why practice groups like the Humane Club of the United States (HSUS) use the words "wild animal" and "large, dangerous, wild animal" interchangeably?

According to HSUS: "Wild fauna tin can attack and spread disease, and the average pet possessor cannot provide the care they demand in captivity." Even so, beast rights organizations are not worried about beingness accurate with their statements because they are more often than not against the ownership of animals; therefore, the numerous exceptions are not really important to them.

Compare and Contrast Domesticated and Wild Animals

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Exotic Pets Are Not "Wild Animals"

I don't believe the term "wild animal" should exist used to describe man-habituated, tame animals because their behavior is vastly different from animals that are parent-raised without humans.

Wild fauna are animals that were built-in and raised in natural weather condition. Animals living with and raised by humans that are not domesticated should merely be referred to as non-domesticated animals. "Tame, wild animal" is as well acceptable.

Taming refers to a normally wild-natured animal that has been socialized with humans so that information technology is tolerant and relatively docile in the presence of humans. All the same, since some domesticated animals are not tame when raised in the wild, all domesticated animals cannot technically be considered tame every bit well.

This Beliefs Is Not Typical of Wild Animals

What Is the Pregnant of Domestication?

Nearly every version of what "domestication" means to most people is invalid. Here are a few examples of what many recall a "domesticated animal" is that tin easily be disproven by presenting examples of species to which information technology doesn't apply:

Curlicue to Go on

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iv Common Misconceptions About Domesticated Animals

1. Domesticated animals tin't survive in the wild.

Utterly untrue. In fact, domesticated animals are some of the best survivors—reproducing invasively in environments that are not their ain (feral cats, horses, swine) while many "wild animals" fail at doing so. That is why we practice non release captive animals without all-encompassing rehabilitation. In many cases, feral, domesticated animals have caused various wild animals to become extirpated.

2. Domesticated animals are tame or adept-natured.

Bulls or intact cattle (Bos taurus) are known to be dangerous and aggressive. Why? Because just like many "wild" animals, they have instincts and raging hormones. Domesticated mink are also extremely unsafe for their size.

iii. Domesticated animals recognize humans every bit role of their social construction.

Non only is this common in any social mammal or bird every bit long as it has been manus-raised, but even some lonely animals like bobcats and tigers volition bail with their owner to the aforementioned level as any domesticated true cat. Alternatively, cats that are not hand-raised exercise not take man ownership, just as a wild animal doesn't. If it is not in the nature of the creature to be office of a bureaucracy, like fancy mice or goldfish, for instance, this behavior will not spring up due to domestication.

four. Domestication takes thousands of years.

The Russian fox experiment produced significantly tamer argent foxes in only 50 years.

The Right Definition of Domestication

Hither is the only consistently acceptable mode to ascertain the arbitrary concept of domestication:

This definition and only this definition fits every then-called domesticated fauna. Notice that this definition does not include any measure of tameness, welfare in captivity, business firm-living, or any measure of generations needed to produce the upshot. If the genetic modify and better suitability for human use are nowadays, the animal can be considered domesticated. It needn't be as physically and psychologically unique from its starting point as a wolf and a Shih Tzu.

Domesticated animals may accept certain traits in common such as breeding well in captivity, having piece of cake-to-run into dietary needs, and reaching maturity speedily, but this is not unique to them. These animals are not native to any location because their genes are human-selected vs. naturally selected. Hybridization can also consequence in this case.

Captive Breeding

Some animals, like gold hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) are extensively bred in captivity simply are non genetically different beyond some insignificant alterations due to the founder outcome; therefore, they are technically non domesticated. This ways that when someone says "wild fauna are unsafe to go on as pets," they are as well talking nigh hamsters.

Both golden hamsters and tigers are non-domesticated animals that are frequently bred in captivity. Other animals thought to be domesticated just probably aren't include cockatiels, ball pythons, budgies, gerbils, and dwarf hamsters.

A Scottish wild cat on co-operative (this is too a "wild" brute).

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The Domesticated Cat Fallacy

Some cat owners might tell you that cats are "less domesticated" than dogs due to their independent nature. This is completely untrue. As I've discussed to a higher place, the concept of "more or less domesticated" is invalid.

Cats are different from dogs. Domestication has cipher to do with dog-like behavior (although a few feline breeds are genetically more than tame and passive). The domesticated cat is genetically unlike from its original ancestor and is more than suitable for the role humans have bred it for. That'south all information technology takes!

Why Aren't Domesticated Pets Dangerous?

Equally outlined before, some domesticated animals can exist a threat to human safety or fifty-fifty considered unsafe—only every bit a full general dominion, many of the animals that we consider not-dangerous in comparison to so-called wildlife have all descended from wild animals that are not that dangerous, relatively speaking.

To analyze, a tiger is considered a unsafe wild animal and a domesticated cat is not. Are tigers more than dangerous because they aren't domesticated? No! Tigers are dangerous because they are over 800 pounds of pure, cannibal muscle, having evolved to take downwardly prey much larger than itself. Fully grown tigers are larger and stronger than the largest, strongest domestic dog.

Domesticated cats and their ancestors (the African wild cat) could not kill a homo if they tried (cats can and have attacked humans). To reiterate, domesticated cats were never "dangerous" to begin with. Let's look at the evolutionary history of some other popular domesticated animals.

Wolf and Canis familiaris

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Wolves vs. Dogs

The domesticated domestic dog is the quintessential model for domestication for near people. No other species exhibits equally much behavioral, psychological, and morphological variation. This might be the reason people confuse domestication as a process that involves aiming to achieve what has been washed with dogs. But dogs are unique, and they are the only big carnivore that has been domesticated.

Dogs accept descended from an extinct wolf-similar canid that shares a common ancestor with the extant grey wolf. Through the mechanism of neoteny, which ways the memory of juvenile traits that were induced through many generations of selective breeding, dogs take adopted a very strong psychological connection to humans.

How this happened is very controversial, but nosotros can deduce that the dog's (likely more than one) wolf-like ancestors were a population of animals with a loftier tolerance toward human presence, and perhaps, dissimilar some populations of wolves such equally those that terrorized French republic in before centuries, were a lot less dangerous.

Wolves as Beast Ambassadors

Even the greyness wolves of today are touted as more often than not harmless toward humans in the wild, and merely two reported deaths from wild wolves accept occurred in Due north America in the last 100 years. Unlike large cats, wolves are common "ambassador animals" that respectable zoos and conservation societies trust on a ternion around the public (cheetahs pose a similar or smaller hazard to humans, just they can't be domesticated because they brood poorly in captivity).

Of grade, just like regular dogs, wolves have the potential to attack due to various factors. Some domesticated dogs are more than aggressive than wolves considering we have channeled that territorial instinct into our desired event. Dogs are a mixed bag of dissimilar wild instincts re-shaped and re-directed for the purpose of domestication. Domesticated dogs can become more than unsafe if they are unsocialized and form coalitions due to the pack instinct, which wolves, of course, are predisposed toward.

Wild Boar and Domesticated Pig

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Wild Boars vs. Pigs

The ancestor of the domesticated pig is the wild boar (Squealer), and while they rarely assail humans in the wild, they do possess the ability to attack and impale. Some have done this most often during the rutting season in January and February. However, the chief danger of wild boars is due to their weaponry, which are long, protruding canines that are used for fighting. Luckily for us, our selective convenance has resulted in reduced (only not eliminated) aggression and no canine teeth.

Aurochs and Domesticated Cattle

DFoidl, CC BY-SA iii.0, Wikipedia

Aurochs vs. Cattle

Domestic cattle, whose ancestors are extinct wild cattle (Bos primigenius), cannot be easily bred to be hornless, so in order to achieve a less dangerous creature, the horns are removed early in the animal's life. Castration is also commonly practiced in livestock animals—a procedure that may lower assailment.

During the rutting season, domesticated male person camels can be somewhat dangerous to handle if they aren't castrated. (Similarly, studies have shown that many dog seize with teeth incidences were committed past non-neutered dogs.) And then what adept is "domestication" for human safety if animals must be mutilated earlier they can exist considered non-unsafe?

Non-Graphic De-Horning Video

Why Size Matters

Another giant factor I've discussed hither is the applesauce of not taking into account size when it comes to the danger an animal may present. Regardless of disposition, big animals can all be fatal to humans. Every big domesticated animal (equus caballus, cow, camel, big dog) has caused man fatalities.

Therefore, when someone brings up that a big non-domesticated animal (such equally killer whales, whose captivity has suffered immense criticism) has once killed someone, that is not an argument that they are more than or less dangerous than a domesticated animal. There is an inherent chance with all animals that are large and strong. The larger and stronger the animal, the bigger the risk.

Surround Too Shapes Animal Beliefs

As I tirelessly bring up, animals are not merely robots that are programmed to bear one way. Non-domesticated animals that are paw-raised and socialized by humans are likely to be drastically different from their wild counterparts. This is why information technology is dizzy to compare house cats to animals that exist in the wild. A proper comparison of the traits of domesticated cats and their wild counterparts would have to accept into account their environment. Therefore, feral cats should be compared to African wild cats and feral dogs with wolves. We will and then come across that the behavior and psychologies of these species volition form more parallels.

Having ample food and beingness away from the pressures of nature as well change animals. Some animals probable retain juvenile traits into adulthood (non genetically) when they are non forced out of the nest/den to chase for themselves in natural conditions. This can pb to increased sociability, play beliefs, and reduced prey drive. No wonder people visit zoos and often exclaim that wolves and tigers act "just like my dog/true cat!"

A Cheetah and Domesticated Dog at Play

Mike, CC Past-ND two.0, via Flickr

What Makes Some Animals More Dangerous Than Others?

A combination of size, disposition, territoriality, how the keeping of the animal is traditionally practiced, and the physical weaponry of the creature is what makes some animals more dangerous than others. In other words, identify any animate being capable of harm with a man that is non willing to or doesn't understand its behavior, regardless of domestication, and disaster tin can strike.

More than Reading

• Top x Most Dangerous Exotic Pets | Go the Facts
  Captive wild animal attacks ofttimes brand the news. Find out which exotic pets kept in private homes are the most dangerous.

This content is accurate and truthful to the best of the author's knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional person.

© 2014 Melissa A Smith

Precious on May 05, 2020:

information technology is very beautiful

KuteKat on April 23, 2020:

Amazing the all-time loved information technology total thumbs upward

Madame Rose Peony on June 03, 2019:

Delight,would you lot write something about feral animals?

Steve on May 28, 2018:

Excellent article! I'm Native American and unfortunately live in a city in Connecticut. I have a very 'green' yard with many tree's, shrubs and other growth so it's sort of an 'oasis' for many animals. My neighbors all dislike me intensely considering they're 'in honey' with their lawns, hate tree's, bushes & shrubs or wild flowers which thrive in my yard! Especially in the wintertime.. I put nutrient out for all the animals who do non 'hibernate' and am re-payed past college levels of 'trust' that I consider a not bad award & privilege! Unfortunately, we alive in an era where an entire generation ( or two ) of children no longer are taught, know or care about wildlife ( at least in these parts ) as they're never outdoors but on their 'dumb phones' indoors- even on summer vacation from school... Sad.. A couple summers agone, a woman who walks her domestic dog past my dwelling house said to me, 'Exercise you know you take a infant play tricks living in your big shed??' I told her 'No... just it must be there for a reason similar maybe got separated from information technology'due south mother, or to evade someone's dog' and she then said, 'Merely they take RABIES'... which I then explained to her (not that information technology made a paring in her) that according to 'authorities'.. EVERY brute in the wild had 'rabies' and it's simply Not true'.. She hasn't spoken to me since! Later that day, I did see a young fox (non a baby) poke it's head out from a space betwixt the doors & stare at me, then quickly retreat. It was gone past the next day, and I felt glad it had taken up very temporary residence in my 'rubber' shed where it might of run- from one of the neighbors dogs. I accept ferrets which I have rescued/adopted for many, many years. To me? Having them is like i of the closest things to existence up shut & personal with their wild cousins ( mink, ermine, skunks etc, etc ) and I wouldn't merchandise them for nigh human companionship equally like all animals, they aren't 'evil' & do no 'evil' in thought, word or deed similar many conniving-self centered people.. Ferrets ( peculiarly younger ones ) are LIGHTENING FAST and to watch mine all run through the entire house ( upstairs & down ) Non caged every bit I take thoroughly 'ferret-proofed' all potential 'safety issues'.. helps these intelligent, affectionate animals live much longer as they need to practise all the muscles in their bodies. Again, first-class- well written commodity which I greatly enjoyed!

person here 2day on Nov 17, 2017:

I like this article. Especially the office about how this animal or that fauna tin't be kept as a pet because "it took thousands of years to domesticate dogs." That is clearly not true and the Russian fox experiment is the perfect example of that!

Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on March 22, 2017:

No.

Sara on March 21, 2017:

The only problem I take is, wouldn't animals exist happier out in the wild instead of in a muzzle which is kind of like a prision?

Joshua on April 02, 2015:

Domestic cats put about 10k people in the hospital a year with nigh 25% resulting in deaths, with out access to mod medicine that num would exist ridiculously higher. the biggest misnomers used with whatever animal regardless of origin is harmless and tame. There are no such thing every bit tame or harmless animals. Fifty-fifty a pet mouse tin can identify a person in the hospital from a bite. Animals can be amazingly tolerant and fifty-fifty friendly simply never loose the instinct to defend themselves and therefore capable of harm. otherwise the article has some proficient points.

Melissa A Smith (writer) from New York on November 10, 2014:

Yes Ann that could potentially be very unsafe, and every time someone loses an arm when petting large cats the being of them in captivity gets a bad name. Tigers can impale in seconds, or even tear off arms before anyone could react to protect you. Glad nothing happened.

Ann1Az2 from Orangish, Texas on Nov x, 2014:

I had the privilege of petting a tiger in one case. The homo had it in a huge muzzle, although not well-nigh large enough in my estimation. When the tiger sort of growled low at me, I withdrew my mitt from the contend, but the man said he was just purring, which the tiger proved when he came upwardly to the fence wanting more petting. I would have crawled in with him but because of liability issues, his owner wouldn't let me. Still, it was a thrill. He weighed 650 pounds and his paws were equally big as saucers. What astonished me the most was that he was as soft as a house cat.

Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on November 08, 2014:

That is unfortunate.

craftybegonia from Southwestern, U.s.a. on Nov 08, 2014:

We had a neighbour who built a swimming pool to raise alligators in information technology. We had our doubts about that...fortunately, the projection never saw its completion.

Source: https://pethelpful.com/exotic-pets/wild-domesticated-animals

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