In this chapter, Jared Diamond discusses why many animals that seem suitable for domestication weren’t domesticated. Diamond notes that the few important big domestic mammals are mainly big terrestrial herbivores with 14 such species mainly discovered in Eurasia. This is most likely because Eurasia has the most large terrestrial wild mammal species and lost the fewest of these species to extinction. However, other continents also have terrestrial mammals which brings up the question of why other continents couldn’t domesticate animals. To solve this Diamond examines if special conditions of people in other continents prevented them from domesticating animals. However, he ultimately decides it is the animals’ traits that prevent them from being domesticated.
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A second reason is the taming of wild animals around the world as pets passing the first step for domestication. Another reason for this decision is that most big domesticated animals were domesticated closely in time with few domesticated later, supporting the theory that all possible large animals were already domesticated. The fourth reason is that branches with the same ancestors are domesticated in different parts of the world indicating that few species are suitable for domestication. The final reason is that modern attempts to develop a new domesticated species have little
A second reason is the taming of wild animals around the world as pets passing the first step for domestication. Another reason for this decision is that most big domesticated animals were domesticated closely in time with few domesticated later, supporting the theory that all possible large animals were already domesticated. The fourth reason is that branches with the same ancestors are domesticated in different parts of the world indicating that few species are suitable for domestication. The final reason is that modern attempts to develop a new domesticated species have little