The fox is a very intelligent, flexible, and beautiful animal, and it has rich symbolic meanings in human culture, such as cunning, witty, **, etc. The fox is also a widely distributed animal and can be found almost everywhere in the globe. So, if foxes are so good, why haven't humans domesticated them as their companions like dogs, cats, horses, etc.?
In fact, the relationship between humans and foxes is not always hostile or strange. In ancient times, some peoples and regions tried to domesticate foxes, or regarded foxes as gods or totems. For example, the ancient Greeks believed that the fox was a symbol of the goddess of wisdom, and the ancient Chinese believed that the fox was a supernatural monster that could turn into a beautiful woman or an immortal. Foxes have a special status in these cultures, and people are both in awe and curiosity about them, and sometimes they also catch or raise some foxes for their blessings or benefits.
However, these attempts to domesticate foxes did not form widespread traditions or habits, but were confined to certain periods or regions. Why?
On the one hand, foxes' habits and personality traits make them less suitable as human companions. Foxes are nocturnal animals that like to hide in burrows or woods during the day and only come out at night to feed. Foxes have a wide range of food, including birds, small mammals, insects, fruits, nuts, etc., and they like to look for food in different places and do not like to be confined to one place. Foxes are also more independent and vigilant in their personalities, they are less prone to intimate relationships with humans and are not very obedient to human commands.
On the other hand, the human lifestyle and needs also do not provide sufficient motivation for the fox to domesticate. Humans domesticate animals in order to obtain their meat, hair, skin, milk, eggs and other products, or to use their strength, speed, sense of smell and other abilities, or to satisfy their own emotional and entertainment needs. In these aspects, foxes are not as good as dogs, cats, horses and other animals, therefore, humans do not have much interest and need to domesticate foxes.
Although humans have not completely domesticated foxes, scientists have not given up on the study of foxes.
In the last century, a Soviet geneticist, Dmitry Belyaev, began a famous experiment in which he tried to breed a meek, friendly, pet-friendly fox by artificial selection. From thousands of silver-black foxes, he selects the most fearless and accessible individuals for breeding. After decades of hard work, he succeeded in creating a new breed of fox known as the "domestic fox". The personality and behavior of this fox is very similar to that of dogs, they will wag their tails, be coquettish, obey orders, and even show affection to their owners. This experiment is considered to be the best example of domestication and also provides a possible avenue for the domestication of foxes.
However, this experiment also revealed the difficulty and cost of domestication of foxes. First of all, to achieve this level of domestication, long-term artificial selection and intervention is required, rather than a natural process. This means that humans must exercise strict control over the survival and reproduction of foxes, rather than allowing them to live freely in their natural environment. Secondly, domesticated foxes have undergone changes not only in personality and behavior, but also in appearance and physiology. For example, domesticated foxes have drooping ears, curly tails, messy coat colors, petite bodies, and even floral colors such as spots and stripes. These changes are due to changes in the genes and hormones of foxes during the domestication process, resulting in a series of *** These *** may affect the health and adaptability of foxes, and may also destroy the original beauty and charm of foxes.
Even though scientists have shown that the domestication of foxes is feasible, this does not mean that people can keep foxes as pets at will. In modern society, the domestication of foxes also faces legal and moral restrictions and challenges.
From a legal point of view, not all countries and regions allow people to keep foxes privately. In some countries and regions, foxes are classified as protected animals or wild animals, and people are prohibited from capturing, selling, and raising foxes unless they have a special permit or license. In some countries and regions, although there is no explicit prohibition on keeping foxes, there are some strict regulations and conditions to be observed, such as foxes must receive vaccinations, implant microchips, wear collars, etc., to prevent foxes from escaping, spreading diseases, and harming others. Therefore, people who want to keep foxes must first understand the laws and regulations of the country and region where they are located, so as not to violate the law or be punished.
From a moral point of view, the domestication of foxes has also raised some controversy and questioning. Some people believe that foxes are wild animals and should not be forcibly changed by humans to their genes and personalities, which is a violation of the natural rights and dignity of foxes. Some people believe that foxes are sentient and intelligent animals that should not be treated as playthings or commodities by humans, which is a neglect of the life and happiness of foxes. Therefore, people who want to keep foxes must first consider their own motives and objectives, as well as the impact and responsibilities on the fox and society.
The domestication of foxes is a complex and interesting topic that involves historical, biological, social and other factors.
Historically, foxes were once partially domesticated, but not popular;From a biological point of view, foxes' genes and hormones make them difficult to domesticateFrom a social point of view, the laws and morals of foxes constrained their domestication.
Therefore, the domestication of foxes is both a choice and a challenge, which needs to be carried out carefully and responsibly by humans under the guidance of science, law and morality.
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