Posted on 02/22/2005 8:43:05 AM PST by balrog666
Forget hounds - foxes could become man's newest best friend, as scientists have shown they can be tamed.
After 45 years of breeding, tame foxes that wag their tails, greet humans with excited barks and look cute have been born in Siberia.
The original foxes were all black, but the new critters have white patches, big floppy ears, and curly tails.
The new foxes are also more curious, better at understanding humans, and less frightened of new things.
The scientists bred about 45,000 foxes to get to the tame stage.
When breeding the animals, they only chose them on how well they responded to people.
But the physical changes came as well - making scientists think cuteness comes along with being tame.
>>>...Better a domesticated fox than what my wife wants. I will NOT spend time in the same house with a rat terrier.
Rat Terrier? That's not a dog, it's a chew toy for a real dog...
Also, how well do they get along with cats?
Isn't breeding wonderful.
What is the average life of a fox? Is 45 years about 4 generations? Also if they can successfully reproduce they are still within the same species.
lions and tigers can sucessfully reproduce
Lions and tigers are different species. Since they are geographically separated, and do not breed in the wild (or rarely maybe), the are in the process of diverging even more.
Of course, you won't be alive to see the total separation of their genetics, but they probably won't either. They will be extinct.
K says they are cute and would take care of our loose chicken problem ;)
Awwww, how cute.
Unfortunatley we will probably be reading a related story titled in 3 years: 'Researchers Clone New Hybrid Uber Fox For Classified Military Program'.
I remember reading an article a year or two ago that (as I recall) stated that EVERY animal - during the domestication process physically changes its appearance and becomes black and white with floppy ears. Other forms arise....but there is always B&W w floppies. Seems to apply here also.
I had to see my doctor yesterday. He was asking me about the cat bite I got in November (which is still giving me some problems).He was telling me about Komodo Dragons, he said their bite isn't poisonous but that their bite kills because the victim gets an overwhelming infection. They follow the prey around after they bite waiting for it to die and then they eat it. I might change kitty's name to Dragon.
We had a Manchester terrier when I was a kid..
She was very protective of her litter..
She took on 2 full grown dobermans, and ripped their stomachs open...
Read the link in post #28. Average lifespan in the wild is 3 years. They breed here at one generation per year although they were hoping for two.
You can just imagine the deadly bacteria in a Komodo's mouth after eating all that carrion and not brushing their teeth.
PING!
That headline reminds me of my high school typing class.
The thing is, how do they think we got dogs in the first place?
Some observant hunter gatherers began paying attention to and offering scraps to the friendly / cute wolves and foxes, that's how. Over time they kept the friendly / cute / helpful ones from each successive litter and drowned the rest.
Voila, dogs.
Now that's science.
I want one.
Of course, afterwards you have to more or less drop the bundle and run, and you get the look-of-death for a few days, but...
can we get one? :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.