This is a list of animals that have been domesticated by humans.[1] The list includes species or larger formal and informal zoological categories that include at least some domesticated individuals. It includes livestock, poultry, companion animals and working animals.To be considered domesticated, a population of animals must have their behavior, life cycle, or physiology systemically altered as a result of being under human control for many generations. Animals included in this list that do not fully meet this criterion are designated "captive-bred" or "semi-domesticated".
Species | Wild ancestor | Date | Location of Origin | Purpose | Picture | Degree and type of domestication |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | Wolf | between 30,000 BC and 15,000 BC[2][3] | East Africa | hunting, herding, companionship, pest control, meat, transportation | tame; significant physical changes | |
Sheep (Ovis orientalis aries) | Asiatic Mouflon | between 11,000 BC and 9000 BC[4][5] | Southwest Asia | fibre, meat, milk, leather, pelt, vellum | ||
Pig (Sus scrofa domestica) | Wild Boar | 9000 BC[6] | Near East, China | meat, leather, companionship | ||
Goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) | Wild Goat | 8000 BC [7] | Iran | milk, meat, fibre | ||
Cattle (Bos primigenius taurus) | Aurochs (extinct) | 8000 BC[8][9] | India, Middle East, and North Africa | meat, milk, leather, power, vellum, transportation, soil fertilization | ||
Zebu (Bos primigenius indicus) | Aurochs (extinct), possibly Gaur | 8000 BC | India | meat, milk, leather, power, vellum, transportation, soil fertilization | ||
Cat (Felis silvestris catus) | African Wildcat | 7500 BC [10][11][12][13] | Near East | pest control, companionship | tame, some physical changes | |
Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) | Red Junglefowl | 6000 BC[14] | India and Southeast Asia | meat, eggs, feathers, companionship | ||
Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) | Montane Guinea Pig | 5000 BC[15] | Peru | meat, companionship | ||
Donkey (Equus africanus asinus) | African Wild Ass | 5000 BC[16][17] | Egypt | transportation, power, meat | ||
Duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) | Mallard | 4000 BC | China | meat, fat, foie gras, feathers and down, eggs | ||
Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) | Wild Asian Water buffalo | 4000 BC | India, China | power, meat, milk | ||
Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) | Various | 4000 BC | Multiple places | honey, wax, pollination | ||
Horse (Equus ferus caballus) | Wild horse | 4000 BC[18] | Eurasian Steppes | meat, transportation, power, milk | tame, some physical changes | |
Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius) | Wild Dromedary Camel | 4000 BC | Arabia | transportation, power, milk, meat | ||
Silkworm (Bombyx mori) | Silkworm | 3000 BC | China | silk, food | ||
Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) | Reindeer | 3000 BC [19] | Russia | meat, milk, transportation, antlers | ||
Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia) | Rock Dove | 3000 BC | Mediterranean Basin | show, messenger, meat | some physical changes | |
Goose (Anser anser domesticus), (Anser cygnoides domesticus) | Greylag Goose, Swan Goose | 3000 BC,
1000 BC (Swan Goose) |
Egypt,
Eastern Asia (Swan Goose) |
meat, fat, foie gras, feathers and down, eggs, guarding | ||
Yak (Bos grunniens) | Wild Yak | 2500 BC | Tibet | milk, transportation, power, meat, fibre | ||
Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) | Wild Bactrian Camel | 2500 BC | Central Asia | milk, transportation, power, meat | ||
Llama (Lama glama) | Guanaco | 2400 BC [20] | Peru | transportation, power, meat | ||
Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) | Vicuña | 2400 BC [20] | Peru | milk, transportation, fibre, meat | ||
Domesticated guineafowl (Numida meleagris) | Helmeted Guineafowl | 2400 BC [21] | Africa | meat, eggs | ||
Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) | Wild Asian Elephant | 2000 BC | Pakistan | power, transportation | semidomesticated | |
Ferret (Mustela putorius furo) | European Polecat, Steppe Polecat | 1500 BC | Europe | hunting, companionship | ||
Fancy mouse (Mus musculus) | House Mouse | 1100 BC | China | companionship, research | tame, significant physical changes | |
Fallow Deer (Dama dama) | Fallow Deer | 1000 BC | Mediterranean Basin | meat, antlers | ||
Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) | Muscovy Duck | 700–600 BC [20] | South America | meat, fat | ||
Cochineal Insect (Oactylopius coccus) | Cochineal Insect | 700–500 BC [20] | Chile, Mexico | red dye | ||
Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) | Indian Peafowl | 500 BC | India | show, feathers, meat | ||
Barbary Dove (Streptopelia risoria) | African Collared Dove | 500 BC | North Africa | show | ||
Parrots, Parakeets and Love birds (order: Psittaciformes) | Uncertain[22] | 300 BC | Multiple places | companionship, show, talking bird | ||
Banteng (Bos javanicus) | Wild Banteng | Unknown | Southeast Asia, Java Island | meat, milk, power | ||
Gayal (Bos gaurus frontalis) | Gaur | Unknown | Southeast Asia | meat, power | ||
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) | Mandarin Duck | Unknown | China | meat, fat | ||
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa) | Common Starling | ancient times[23] | India, Australia | companionship, talking bird | Raised in Captivity | |
Roman Snail (Helix pomatia) | Helix pomatia | 100 AD? | Europe | meat | ||
Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) | Wild Turkey | 180 [20] | Mexico, United States | meat, feathers | ||
Stingless Bee (Melipona beecheii) | Melipona beecheii | 180 [20] | Mexico, Amazon Basin | honey | semidomesticated | |
Goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) | Prussian Carp | 300–400 | China | companionship | some physical changes | |
Domestic Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) | European Rabbit | 600 [24] | Europe | meat, pelt, fibre, companionship | ||
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) | Mute Swan | 1000–1500 | Europe | meat | ||
Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) | Japanese Quail | 1100–1900 | Japan | meat | ||
Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) | Common carp | 1200–1500 | Europe, East Asia | meat, show (koi) | ||
Canary (Serinus canaria) | Atlantic Canary | 1600 | Canary Islands, Europe | companionship | ||
Fancy rat (Rattus norvegicus) | Brown Rat | 19th century | UK | companionship, research | ||
American Mink (Neovison vison) | American Mink | 19th century | North America | fur | ||
Ostrich (Struthio camelus) | Ostrich | 19th century | Africa | meat, eggs, feathers, leather, fat | ||
Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) | Budgerigar | 1850s | Australia | companionship | ||
Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) | Cockatiel | 1870s | Australia | companionship | ||
Chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla), (Chinchilla lanigera) | Short-tailed chinchilla, Long-tailed chinchilla | 1930s | Andes | companionship, fur, research | ||
Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) | Zebra Finch | 20th century | Australia | companionship | ||
Turquoise Parrot (Neophema pulchella) | Turquoise Parrot | 20th century | Australia | companionship, show | ||
Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), Dwarf Hamsters | Syrian Hamster, Dwarf Hamsters | 1930s | Syria | companionship, research | ||
Domesticated silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) | Red Fox | 1950s | Soviet Union | pelt, research, companionship | tameness, some physical changes | |
African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) | African clawed frog | 1950s | South Africa | companionship, research | ||
Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) | Diamond Dove | Australia | companionship | |||
Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) | Central Bearded Dragon | 1970s | Australia | companionship | minor physical changes | |
Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) | Eclectus Parrot | 1980s | Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands | companionship | ||
Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) | Greater Rhea | 20th century | South America | meat, eggs, feathers, leather, fat | ||
Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) | Emu | 1990s | Australia | meat, eggs, feathers, leather, fat | ||
Degu (Octodon degus) | Degu | 1990s | Chilean Andes | companionship, research | ||
Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) | Gerbil | 1950s | Africa and Asia | companionship, research | ||
Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) | Green Iguana | 1990s | South America | companionship, meat, leather | ||
Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) | Axolotl | 20th century | Mexico | research | ||
Andean Marsupial Tree Frog (Gastrotheca riobambae) | Andean Marsupial Tree Frog | 20th century | Ecuadorian Andes | companionship, research | ||
Australian Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) | Australian Green Tree Frog | late 20th century | Australia | companionship | ||
Argentine Horned Frog (Ceratophrys ornata) | Argentine Horned Frog | late 20th century | Argentina | companionship | ||
Cranwell's horned frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli) | Cranwell's Horned Frog | late 20th century | Argentina | companionship | ||
Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) | Leopard gecko | Southeast to central Asia | companionship | minor physical changes |