A feral organism is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to its wild state. Domestication (from Latin domesticus) refers to the process whereby a Population of Animals Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms Rarely will a local environment perfectly integrate the feral organism into its established ecology. Ecology (from Greek grc οἶκος oikos, "house(hold" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of Therefore, feral animals and plants can cause disruption or extinction to some indigenous species, affecting wilderness and other fragile ecosystems. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Wilderness is generally defined as a Natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by Human activity An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical (
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Definitions
Next to the meaning of the word feral described here, from Latin fera, "a wild beast", the word has a second unrelated meaning, from Latin feralis, "belonging to the dead", "funeral". [1]
Animals
A feral animal is one that has reverted from the domesticated state to a stable condition more or less resembling the wild. Soay sheep are a primitive breed of Domestic sheep ( Ovis aries) descended from a population of Feral sheep on the 250-acre island of Soay in St Kilda (Hiort is an isolated Archipelago 64 kilometres (40 mi west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Some common examples are goats, cats, and camels.
Plants
Domesticated plants that revert to wild are usually referred to as escaped, introduced, or naturalized. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. However, the adaptive and ecological variables seen in plants that go wild closely resemble those of animals.
Variables
Susceptibility
Certain familiar animals go feral easily and successfully, while others are much less inclined to wander and usually fail promptly outside domestication.
Degree
Some species will detach readily from humans and pursue their own devices, but do not stray far or spread readily. Others depart and are gone, seeking out new territory or range to exploit and displaying active invasiveness.
Persistence
Whether they leave readily and venture far, the ultimate criterion for success is longevity. Persistence depends on their ability to establish themselves and reproduce reliably in the new environment. See also Nature The natural environment, commonly referred to simply as the environment, is a terminology that is comprised of all living and
Tenure of domestication
Neither the duration nor the intensity with which a species has been domesticated offers a useful correlation with its feral potential. In Probability theory and Statistics, correlation, (often measured as a correlation coefficient) indicates the strength and direction of a linear
Examples of feral animals
The goat is one of the oldest domesticated creatures, yet readily goes feral and does quite well on its own. Kielder Forest is a large Forestry plantation in Northumberland, England. The domestic goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus) is a subspecies of goat Domesticated from the Wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe
The dromedary camel, which has been domesticated for well over 3,000 years, will also readily go feral. The Dromedary camel ( Camelus dromedarius) is a large Even-toed ungulate. A substantial population of feral dromedaries, descended from pack animals that escaped in the 19th and early 20th centuries, thrives in the Australian interior today. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.
The cat returns readily to a feral state if it has not been socialized properly in its young life. WikipediaManual of Style (spelling, articles should conform to one overall spelling style of English typically the one most linked to the article topic (if it is geographic (See Feral cats. A feral cat (or stray cat, alley cat) is a Cat which has been separated from Domestication through abandonment loss or running away and becomes ) These cats, especially if left to proliferate, are frequently considered to be pests in both rural and urban areas, and may be blamed for devastating the bird, reptile and mammal populations. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands A local population of feral cats living in an urban area and using a common food source is sometimes called a feral cat colony. A feral cat colony is a population (or "clowder" of feral domestic cats (not to be confused with Wild cats. As feral cats multiply quickly, it is difficult to control their populations. Animal shelters attempt to adopt out feral cats, especially kittens, but often are overwhelmed with sheer numbers and euthanasia is used. Put to sleep redirects here For its literal meaning see Sleep or Anaesthetic. In rural areas, excessive numbers of feral cats are often shot. More recently, the "Trap-Neuter-Return" method has been used in many locations as an alternate means of managing the feral cat population. Trap-Neuter-Return ( TNR) also known as Trap-Test-Vaccinate-Alter-Release (TTVAR is a method being promoted as a humane alternative to euthanasia for managing and
Sheep are close contemporaries and cohorts of goats in the history of domestication, but the domestic sheep is quite vulnerable to predation and injury, and thus rarely if ever is seen in a feral state. However, in places where there are little other predators, they get on well, for example in the case of the Soay sheep. Soay sheep are a primitive breed of Domestic sheep ( Ovis aries) descended from a population of Feral sheep on the 250-acre island of Soay in
Cattle have been domesticated since the neolithic era, but can do well enough on open range for months or even years with little or no supervision. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos Their ancestors, the Aurochs were quite fierce, on par with the modern Cape Buffalo. The aurochs or urus ( Bos taurus primigenius) was a very large type of cattle that was prevalent in Europe until its Extinction in 1627 The African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo ( Syncerus caffer) is a large African bovid. Modern cattle, especially those raised on open range, are generally more docile, but when threatened can display aggression. Cattle, particularly those raised for beef, are often allowed to roam quite freely and have established long term independence in Australia, New Zealand and several Pacific Islands along with small populations of semi-feral animals roaming the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Such cattle are variously called Mavericks, Scrubbers or Cleanskins. Most free roaming cattle, however untamed, are generally too valuable not to be eventually rounded up and recovered in closely settled regions.
Horses and donkeys, domesticated about 5000 BCE, are feral in open grasslands worldwide. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. The donkey or ass, Equus asinus, is a member of the Equidae or horse family and an odd-toed ungulate. (see feral horse) In Portugal, feral horses are called Sorraia, in Australia, they are called Brumbies, in the American west, they are called Mustangs. Feral horses are free-roaming untamed horses descended from domesticated Horses. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Sorraia is an indigenous Horse from Portugal, which has influenced many light modern horse breeds For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Other isolated feral populations exist, including the Chincoteague Pony and the Banker Horse. The Chincoteague Pony is a hardy breed that They are often referred to as "wild horses," but this is a misnomer. The Wild Horse ( Equus ferus) is a member of the Horse genus which currently is native only in Asia. There are truly "wild" horses that have never been tamed, most notably Przewalski's Horse. Przewalski's Horse ( Equus ferus przewalskii, Equus przewalskii or Equus caballus przewalskii classification is debated ʃɨˈvælskiː or /zɨˈvɑːlskiː/ While the horse was originally indigenous to North America, the wild ancestor died out at the end of the last Ice Age. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets In both Australia and the Americas, modern "wild" horses descended from domesticated horses brought by European explorers and settlers that escaped, spread, and thrived.
The pig (hog) has established feral populations worldwide, most notably in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and the Pacific Islands with small populations in the Midwest and South of the United States. The donkey or ass, Equus asinus, is a member of the Equidae or horse family and an odd-toed ungulate. The donkey or ass, Equus asinus, is a member of the Equidae or horse family and an odd-toed ungulate. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Pigs, also called hogs or' swine', are Ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food leather and similar products since ancient times Pigs were introduced to the Melanesian and Polynesian regions by humans from several thousand to five hundred years ago, and to Australia and the Americas within the past 500 years. Unusually while pigs were doubtlessly brought to New Zealand by the original Polynesian settlers this population had become extinct by the time of European colonization, and all feral pigs in New Zealand today are descendants of European stock. Many European wild boar populations are also partially descended from escaped domestic pigs and are thus technically feral animals within the native range of the ancestral species.
Pigeons were formerly kept for their meat or more commonly as racing animals and have established feral populations in cities worldwide.
Dogs can revert to wildness, becoming predators little less effective than the big cats of like size. The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order The term big cat is used to distinguish the larger cat species from smaller ones The Dingo is the oldest verifiable feral dog population, with a history of over 5,000 years since original escape from domestication, although the pariah dogs of Asia may well be older feral populations. Description Appearance Adult dingoes are typically 48–58 cm (19–23 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh on average 23–32 kgs (50–70 pounds though specimens The term pariah dog is used to refer to feral dogs of a particular type, a subspecies of dog, and a purebred dog category or group The Carolina Dog is the oldest feral dog population known in the Americas. The Carolina Dog, or American Dingo, is a type of wild dog discovered in the late 1970s Feral dogs also played a key role in the extinction of the lion in Europe. The lion ( Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four Big cats in the Genus Panthera.
Colonies of honey bees often escape into the wild from managed apiaries when they swarm; their behavior, however, is no different from their behavior "in captivity", until and unless they breed with other feral honey bees of a different genetic stock, which may lead them to become more docile or more aggressive (see Africanized bees). Swarming is the natural means of Reproduction of Honey bee colonies (considering the colony as the Organism rather than individual bees which cannot survive "Killer bee" redirects here For other uses see Killer bees.
Populations of feral parrots descended from escaped pets/zoo specimens have established themselves in various areas of Europe, North America and Australia. Feral parrot is a term for any Parrot that lives in an ecosystem to which it is not native Rose-ringed Parakeets and Monk Parakeets have been particularly successful in this regard. The Rose-ringed Parakeet ( Psittacula krameri) also known as the Ringnecked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical Parakeet species that is popular as The Monk Parakeet or Quaker Parrot ( Myiopsitta monachus) is a Species of Parrot, in most treatments the only member of the
Harmful and beneficial effects of feralization
Ecological impact
A feral population can have a significant impact on an ecosystem by predation on vulnerable plants or animals, or by competition with indigenous species. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus Feral plants and animals constitute a significant share of invasive species, and can be a threat to endangered species. Introduced species|Weed Invasive species is a phrase with several definitions An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation
Genetic pollution
Animals of domestic origin sometimes can produce fertile hybrids with native, wild animals which leads to genetic pollution in the naturally evolved wild gene pools, many times threatening rare species with extinction. Genetic pollution is undesirable Gene flow into wild populations Genetic pollution is undesirable Gene flow into wild populations In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Cases include the mallard duck, wild boar, the rock dove or pigeon, the Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) (ancestor of all chickens), carp, and more recently salmon. Another example is the dingo, itself an early feral dog, which hybridizes with dogs of European origin. Description Appearance Adult dingoes are typically 48–58 cm (19–23 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh on average 23–32 kgs (50–70 pounds though specimens On the other hand, genetic pollution seems not to be noticed for rabbit. There is much debate over the degree to which feral hybridization compromises the purity of a wild species. In the case of the mallard, for example, some claim there are no populations which are completely free of any domestic ancestor.
Economic harm
Feral animals compete with domestic livestock, and may degrade fences, water sources, and vegetation (by overgrazing or introducing seeds of invasive plants). Though hotly disputed, some cite as an example the competition between feral horses and cattle in the western United States. Another example is of goats competing with cattle in Australia, or goats that degrade trees and vegation in environmentally-stressed regions of Africa. Accidental crossbreeding by feral animals may result in harm to breeding programs of pedigreed animals; their presence may also excite domestic animals and push them to escape. Feral populations can also pass on transmissible infections to domestic herds.
Economic benefits
Many feral animals can sometimes be captured at little cost and thus constitute a significant resource. Throughout most of Polyneasia and Melanesia feral pigs constitute the primary sources of animal protein. Prior to the Free-roaming Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 1971, American mustangs were routinely captured and sold for horsemeat. In Australia feral goats, pigs and dromedaries are harvested for the export for their meat trade. At certain times, animals were sometimes deliberately left to go feral, typically on islands, in order to be later recovered for profit or food use for travelers (particularly sailors) at the end of a few years.
Scientific value
Populations of feral animals present good sources for studies of population dynamics, and especially of ecology and behavior (ethology) in a wild state of species known mainly in a domestic state. Such observations can provide useful information for the stock breeders or other owners of the domesticated conspecifics (i. e. animals of the same species).
Genetic diversity
Feral populations sometimes preserve or develop characteristics which do not always exist in the fully domesticated equivalent. Therefore, they contribute to domestic biodiversity and often deserve to be preserved, be it in their feral environment or as domestic animals. For example, feral species that are usually subjects of eradication in Australia or New Zealand are currently the subject of study to determine if there is a need for their preservation.
Cultural or historic value
American mustangs have been protected since 1971 in part due to their romance and connection to the history of the American West.
References
- ^ Source: Nuttall's Popular Dictionary. Pub. Fredrick Warne & Co. Ltd. London and New York.
See also
External links
Note: Links that treat feral animals as a mere pest issue are the norm. Domestication (from Latin domesticus) refers to the process whereby a Population of Animals Introduced species|Weed Invasive species is a phrase with several definitions A feral child ( Feral, Wild, or undomesticated) is a human child who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age and has no (or little In Australian slang, a "feral" refers to a Suburban -dwelling poor person who is perceived as being uneducated unskilled or dependent on social security benefits A feral cat (or stray cat, alley cat) is a Cat which has been separated from Domestication through abandonment loss or running away and becomes Feral horses are free-roaming untamed horses descended from domesticated Horses.
- National Wild Horse and Burro Program
- Feral Camels, Information from Australian Department of Agriculture regarding Australia's estimated 300,000 feral camels.
- Alley Cat Allies, a feral cat advocacy organization
Dictionary
feral
-adjective
- wild, untamed, especially of domesticated animals having returned to the wild
-noun
- (Australia, colloquial) A contemptible young person, a lout.
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