What is domestication?

• A. Taming animals for human use
• B. Classification of organisms
• C. Two-part scientific naming system
• D. Observable traits

Answer: (A)

Domestication is the long-term process by which a wild species becomes adapted to living with humans through selective breeding for traits that make it more useful, manageable, and tolerant of human environments. Over many generations, genetic and behavioral changes accumulate across the population, leading to animals that are more docile, productive, and dependent on human care and resources. This differs from taming, which is about training a single wild animal to behave around people, whereas domestication involves population-level genetic changes. It also isn’t about classifying organisms, naming species, or describing observable traits.