In Animals
Wild animals may self-domesticate when tame behaviour enhances their survival near humans. Tolerating or even enjoying the close approach of humans in order to feed near them, and a lessening of natural adult aggression, are two aspects of tameness. An environment that supports the survival of tame animals can lead to other changes in behaviour and appearance as well.
Smaller skulls on tame animals have been noticed in other species. Noticing that a dog's skull looks like that of a juvenile wolf, Richard Wrangham goes on to say that "this leads to the thought that species can self-domesticate." Other characteristics that are associated with juvenility – barking and meowing (sounds used by wolf cubs and kittens of large felines, respectively, to communicate with their parents), more playful and less aggressive, and more eager to learn – are seen in tame animals.
Read more about this topic: Self-domestication
Famous quotes containing the word animals:
“To err is human also in so far as animals seldom or never err, or at least only the cleverest of them do so.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
“Humans are amphibians—half spirit and half animal.... As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time.”
—C.S. (Clive Staples)