Thursday, September 16, 2021

Wild Cattle?!?!

I have wondered, occasionally, what cattle were domesticated from. I mean, there are plenty of wild sheep, wild horses, wild dogs. No wild cattle.

Well, I was incorrect.


Apparently on some very isolated islands AND a tiny group at Chillingham Castle grounds are the last "Wild Cattle". They avoided being domesticated about 800 years ago, and here they are. A very tiny group (only about 150 animals) are here and they have such a small gene pool, they are effectively clones of each other. But still.

They were kept wild (albeit on a massive castle grounds) actually for the sport of hunting. They are quite formidable. All about it here, if you're interested.

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