Document type : podcast of La Terre au carré broadcast
Authors: Mathieu Vidard, Valérie Chansigaud
Preview: The domestication of animals is one of the most fascinating stages in human history as it allowed the emergence of complex agricultural societies, encouraged unprecedented population growth and contributed to a fundamental transformation of ecosystems for human benefit.
Take a look back through the long and complex relationships between humans and pets with Valérie Chansigaud, who is a historian of science and the environment :
What is the definition of domestication?
Species such as crickets or mice that share human habitations are described as "domesticated", but this is not because they have been deliberately bred through selective programmes in the same way as dogs, chickens, guinea pigs or silkworms are. They are 'domesticated' because their development has been influenced by their shared human habitat. The status of a species can also change through time, for example, crickets are currently farmed as a a food source for many other insectivorous animals.
Any discussion of domestication also calls for more philosophical questions, for instance:
- At what point does a wild species exploited by humans become domesticated?
- What are the differences between taming, breaking, training, and domestication?
- Are circus animals such as lions or elephants used in logging operations domesticated?
- Have dogs, cows and chickens benefited from domestication?
- In a world shaped by man, might wild animals also be seen as domestic?
