Semidomesticated, Routinely Captive-bred, or Domestication Status Unclear
Due to the somewhat unclear outlines of what, precisely, constitutes domestication, there are some species that may or may not be fully domesticated. There are also species that are extensively used or kept as pets by humans, but are not significantly altered from wild-type animals. Most animals on this second table are at least somewhat altered from wild animals by their extensive interactions with humans. Many could not be released into the wild, or are in some way dependent on humans.
| Species and subspecies | Wild ancestor | Date | Location of origin | Purpose | Image | Degree and type of domestication | Extent in wild vs captivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), including subspecies Italian bee (Apis mellifera ligustica), European dark bee (Apis mellifera mellifera), and Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica) | Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), and appropriate subspecies | 4000 BC (1880s for A.m. lingustica, modern for A.m. mellifera, uncertain for A.m. carnica) | Europe, Asia and Africa | honey, wax, pollination | Domesticated | ||
| Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) | Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) | 500 BC | India | show, feathers, meat, landscaping, ornamental, pets, garden bird | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) | Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) | 1850s | Australia | pets, show, talking bird | Plumage changes, some breeds are physically larger | ||
| Corn snake (Pantherophis gutttatus) | Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) | 1960s | United States | pets | Domesticated in captivity | ||
| Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora) | Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora) | Ming Dynasty | China | pets | Non-wild coloration pied and fancy colored Javas from long Asian captivity lines are hand tamable | ||
| Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) | Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) | 1870s | Australia | pets, show, talking bird | |||
| American mink (Neovison vison) | American mink (Neovison vison) | 19th century | North America | fur, pets, ratting | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), including subspecies Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) | Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) | 2000 BC | Indus Valley Civilization | working, plowing, transportation, mount, hunting, show, racing, fighting, execution, ceremonies, weddings, religion | semidomesticated | ||
| Addax (Addax nasomaculatus) | Addax (Addax nasomaculatus) | 2500 BC | Egypt | meat, horns, leather, skin | Held/tame in captivity | Small captive population, but endangered in the wild | |
| Scimitar oryx (Oyrx dammah) | Scimitar oryx (Oyrx dammah) | 2320-2150 BC | Egypt | meat, hides, religions, ceremonies, horns | Held/tame in captivity | Small captive population, but nearly extinct in wild | |
| Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) | Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) | 700–600 BC | South America | meat, fat, feathers, eggs, show, pets | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) | Cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) | 700–500 BC | Chile, Mexico | dye | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Crimsonspotted Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia duboulayi) | Crimsonspotted Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia duboulayi) | 1920s | Eastern Australia | pets, pest control | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Long-tailed Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) | Long-tailed Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) | 1930s | Andes | pets, fur, research | Domesticated in captivity | ||
| Short-tailed Chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla) | Short-tailed Chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla) | 1930s | Andes | fur | Raised in Captivity | ||
| Water flea (Daphnia magna) | Water flea (Daphnia magna) | 1930s | North America, Eurasia, Africa | research | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) | Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) | 20th century | Australia | pets, show | Domesticated in captivity | ||
| Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) | Axolotl | 20th century | Mexico | research, pets | slight physical changes | ||
| Green and black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus) | Green and Black Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) | Mid-to-late 20th century | Nicaragua; Costa Rica; Panama; Colombia | pets | slight physical changes; loss of toxicity | ||
| Australian Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) | Australian Green Tree Frog | late 20th century | Australia | pets | |||
| Argentine Horned Frog (Ceratophrys ornata) | Argentine Horned Frog | late 20th century | Argentina | pets | |||
| Cranwell's horned frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli) | Cranwell's Horned Frog | late 20th century | Argentina | pets | |||
| Common eland (Taurotragus oryx) | Common eland (Taurotragus oryx) | Unknown | Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya | meat, milk, leather, hides, horns | Domesticated in captivity | ||
| Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) | Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) | Unknown | Australia | pets | Domesticated in captivity | ||
| Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) | Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) | 1960s | United States | wool, meat, milk | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Grey-banded kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna) | Grey-banded kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna) | date uncertain | Texas, New Mexico, Chihuahua | pets | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) | Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) | 1970s | Australia | pets | slight physical changes | ||
| Sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) | Sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) | 1980s | Australia | pets | Domesticated | ||
| Indian gray mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) | Indian gray mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) | date uncertain | India | fighting, pest control, pets | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) | Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) | date uncertain | South America | meat, pelt, skin, pets | |||
| Indian Palm Squirrel (Funambulus palmarum) | Indian Palm Squirrel (Funambulus palmarum) | date uncertain | India | pets | easy to tame | ||
| Lawson's Dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni) | Lawson's Dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni) | 1980s | Australia | pets | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) | Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) | 1980s | Europe | wax, pollination | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) | Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) | date uncertain | China | meat, ornamental, garden bird | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Sika deer (Cervus nippon) | Sika deer (Cervus nippon) | Unknown | Japan, China | meat, antlers | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) | Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) | Unknown | China | meat, fat, ornamental | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) | Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) | Unknown | Egypt | pest control, pets | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Asiatic honey bee (Apis cerana) | Asiatic honey bee (Apis cerana) | Unknown | South and Southeast Asia | honey, pollination | Domesticated in captivity | ||
| Japanese Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus) | Japanese Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus) | 960 AD | Japan | fishing | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) | Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) | 960 AD | China | fishing | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) | Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) | 1100–1900 | Japan | meat, eggs, pets | Domesticated in captivity | ||
| Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) | Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) | 1200–1500 | Europe, Asia | meat | Held/tame in capivity | ||
| House cricket (Acheta domestica) | House cricket (Acheta domestica) | 12th century | Southwestern Asia, China, Japan | meat, food, fighting, pets | Domesticated in captivity | ||
| European mink (Mustela lutreola) | European mink (Mustela lutreola) | 1800s | Europe | fur | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| King Quail (Coturnix chinensis) | King Quail (Coturnix chinensis) | date uncertain | Asia, Australia | pets | |||
| Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus) | Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus) | date uncertain | India, Pakistan | meat, pets, fighting | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Lowland Paca (Cuniculus paca) | Lowland Paca (Cuniculus paca) | Unknown | Mexico, Argentina | meat, pets | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Steppe Lemming (Lagurus lagurus) | Steppe Lemming (Lagurus lagururs) | Unknown | Steppes | pets | |||
| Degu (Octodon degus) | Degu (Octodon degus) | 1990s | Chilean Andes | pets, research | |||
| Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) | Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) | 1990s | Mongolia | pets, research | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Crucian carp (Carassius carassius) | Crucian carp (Carassius carassius) | 2000s | England, Russia | meat, pets | |||
| Indian honey bee (Apis cerana indica) | Indian honey bee (Apis cerana indica) | Unknown | India | honey, pollination | Held/tame in captivity | ||
| Semi-domesticated Reindeer | Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) | 3000 BC | Asian subarctic. | meat, milk, transportation, working, draft, mount, hides, racing, leather, antlers | Semidomesticated | ||
| White Cockatoo (Cacatua alba) | White Cockatoo (Cacatua alba) | Tang Dynasty | China | pets, show | |||
| Fallow Deer (Dama dama) | Fallow Deer (Dama dama) | 1000 BC | Mediterranean Basin | meat, hides, antlers | domesticated | ||
| European medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis) | European medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis) | 800 BC | Europe, Asia | bloodletting, surgery | |||
| Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) | Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) | Unknown | Africa, Asia | pets, talking bird | |||
| Roman Snail (Helix pomatia) | Roman Snail (Helix pomatia) | 100 AD | Europe | meat | |||
| Stingless bee (Melipona beecheii) | Stingless bee (Melipona beecheii) | 180 AD | Mexico, Amazon Basin | honey, pollination | Semidomesticated | ||
| Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) | Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) | 1000-1500 | Europe | meat, landscaping, feathers, garden bird | Semidomesticated | ||
| Ostrich (Struthio camelus) | Ostrich (Struthio camelus) | 19th century | Africa | meat, eggs, feathers, leather, fat, oil, mount, racing | Semidomesticated | ||
| Common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) | Common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) | 1910s | Australia, South Africa | research, food | |||
| Yellow-collared Lovebird (Agapornis personatus) | Yellow-collared Lovebird (Agapornis personatus) | 1920s | Tanzania | pets | |||
| Fischer's Lovebird (Agapornis fischeri) | Fischer's Lovebird (Agapornis fischeri) | 1920s | East-Central Africa | pets | |||
| Turquoise Parrot (Neophema pulchella) | Turquoise Parrot (Neophema pulchella) | 20th century | Australia | pets, show | |||
| African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) | African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) | 1950s | South Africa | pets, research | |||
| Sea-Monkey (Artemia salina x nyos) | Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) | 1950s | Lake Urmia, Iran | pets | |||
| American bison (Bison bison) | American bison (Bison bison) | 20th century | North America | meat, leather, hides | Semidomesticated | ||
| Ball python (Python regius) | Ball python (Python regius) | 1960s | Africa | pets | Captive bred | ||
| Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) | Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) | 1980s | Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands | pets | |||
| Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) | Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) | 1980s | Maluku Islands | pets, show, talking bird | |||
| Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) | Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) | 1990s | South America | meat, eggs, feathers, leather, fat, oil | Semidomesticated | ||
| Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) | Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) | 1990s | Australia | meat, eggs, feathers, leather, fat, oil | Semidomesticated | ||
| Pale Gerbil (Gerbillus perpallidus) | Pale Gerbil (Gerbillus perpallidus) | Unknown | Egypt | pets | |||
| Persian jird (Meriones persicus) | Persian jird (Meriones persicus) | Unknown | Iran | pets | |||
| Fat-tailed Gerbil (Pachyuromys duprasi) | Fat-tailed Gerbil (Pachyuromys duprasi) | Unknown | Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria | pets | |||
| Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) | Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) | 1990s | South America | pets, meat, leather | Captive bred | ||
| Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) | Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) | date uncertain | Central America | pets, meat | Captive bred | ||
| Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) | Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) | 20th century | Pakistan | pets | slight physical modification | ||
| Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis) | Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis) | mid 1990s | New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia | pets | Captive bred | ||
| Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis) | Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis) | Unknown | Southwest Australia | pets | |||
| Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) | Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) | late 1990s | Australia | pets | |||
| Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae) | Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae) | late 1990s | Australia | pets, show | |||
| Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) | Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) | date uncertain | India, Sri Lanka | pets | easy to domesticate | ||
| Star Finch (Neochmia ruficauda) | Star Finch (Neochmia ruficauda) | date uncertain | Australia | pets, show | |||
| Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) | Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) | date uncertain | Europe, Asia | pets, singing | |||
| Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) | Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) | Unknown | New Caledonia | pets | Captive bred | Somewhat common in captivity, nearly extinct in wild | |
| Common kusimanse (Crossarchus obscurus) | Common kusimanse (Crossarchus obscurus) | Unknown | West Africa | pets | Captive bred | ||
| Kissing gourami (Helostoma temminckii) | Kissing gourami (Helostoma temminckii) | Unknown | Thailand, Indonesia | meat, pets | Domesticated |
Read more about this topic: Domesticated Birds
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