Which is the First Domesticated Animal According to a DNA Study?

Do you know which animal was first domesticated in the world?

Humans and animals have been in contact since the past. Although animals were used for hunting or horse riding in previous ages, at some point the bond between animals and humans became stronger and some animals began to be domesticated. A study conducted in England revealed which animal was the first domesticated animal. Which animal do you think was first domesticated? If you are wondering about the answer, continue reading our article.

1 | 5

A study conducted in England showed that dogs were the first animals domesticated. The study found that dogs may have been domesticated at the end of the last Ice Age, about 11,000 years ago. So the first animal domesticated is dog. This conclusion has been reached before, but this time it has been scientifically proven.

2 | 5

In the study, 27 dog remains from ancient times belonging to different cultures were examined and a DNA map was drawn. These maps have been compared to each other and to the genes of modern dogs. According to the research, five different types of dogs that first spread in the Northern Hemisphere evolved. In the European continent, dogs are based on two origins, the Middle East and Siberia. Initially there was a variety of dog breeds, possibly as the Bronze Age dogs started breeding from a single lineage.

3 | 5

The results of the research were published in the journal Science. The results are consistent with the scenario stating that all dogs are descended from a single wolf group or a few wolves very close to them. "Dogs are our oldest and closest partner among animals," said Greger Larson, Professor of Archeology at Oxford University, from the team that conducted the research.

4 | 5

On the other hand, some modern dog breeds unique to South Africa and Mexico were found to have the genetic characteristics of those of antiquity. In East Asia, the situation is a bit more complicated, some breeds in China have the characteristics of the Australian dingo and the New Guinea dog, while others are based on dogs native to the European and Russian steppes.

5 | 5

“The DNA samples we examine from ancient dogs show us how far back our common past goes. This research will ultimately help us understand when and where this deep relationship began. ” From the Ancient Genome Laboratory and research team at the Crick Institute in London, Dr. Pontus Skoglund refers to the processes of domestication as "unique" for dogs; Skoglund notes that at a time when humans were still part of a hunter-gatherer society, it was interesting to tame wolves, a feared wild carnivore, and they were investigating why they needed it.