"So it was with interest that I learned that urban raccoons in North America are showing signs of domestication. A study in Frontiers in Zoology suggests that the animals are evolving to be as the mainstream media puts it cuter and more pet-like. Jump ahead three thought bubbles and I'm picturing me, holding paws with my new pet, skipping through the daisies to the tune of Daydream Believer. But could this really be?"
"When raccoons first tiptoed into our towns, they noticed two things: a lack of large predators and an abundance of bins. The wary backed away but the least skittish took advantage. With their stomachs full of burgers, these were the animals most likely to survive and pass on their not so skittish genes to the next generation. Over time, the city-dwelling raccoons became bolder. This is natural selection at its finest."
Some pets are adoring and adorable while others are less successful; examples include a hamster that ate her babies, a cockerel that karate-kicked children, and a cat so aloof it says "meh" instead of "miaow". Urban raccoons in North America are showing signs of domestication. A study in Frontiers in Zoology suggests these animals are evolving to become cuter and more pet-like. Early domestication arises when animals choose human habitats offering safety and food rather than from deliberate human selection. Raccoons entered towns with fewer predators and abundant bins; the least skittish individuals exploited resources, survived, and passed bold genes to subsequent generations.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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