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That's not hard to figure out...maintaining your hair, fur, feathers, scales, or skin is a survival tactic. A well-groomed animal's outer covering protects them from the elements better. A well-groomed, healthy-looking animal is less likely to be targeted by a predator who is evaluating individuals for signs of poor fitness. If you aren't under as much pressure to survive because you're fed and cared for, and you are somewhat protected from predators by stock guardians, fencing, pens, and your keepers, you can get away with neglecting yourself. Domesticated animals start to lose their survival instinct and skills, but they are also bred for traits that benefit the people who grow them. Those traits may or may not be traits that improve the animal's survival. They aren't intended to live long lives.
Last edited by Parnassia; 12-07-2021 at 06:19 PM..
There are many, many reasons wild animals are healthier, smarter, and better adapted to their environments than domestic animals, and other people can explain why better than I can.
However, the cynic in me thinks you're posting this just to slyly poke fun at how far we fat lazy humans have fallen from what we were intended to be.
I agree. It's easy: wild animals and uncivilized tribes roam more, chase more, jump and climb, they are physically fitter and leaner. Their food source is not always available, so they might stay hungry for several days. They also eat healthier diet.
Domesticated animals and humans are moving slower, don't need to hunt or fight for their lives, they live lazy, leisure life, they get their food delivered - it's there, in abundance, the food might be more processed or selected, they are less physically active and therefore fatter.
They live worry free life, under the care of humans...
There are many, many reasons wild animals are healthier, smarter, and better adapted to their environments than domestic animals, and other people can explain why better than I can.
However, the cynic in me thinks you're posting this just to slyly poke fun at how far we fat lazy humans have fallen from what we were intended to be.
In which case I say
The coyotes around here look pretty thin and scraggly much of the time... with bare spots from chewing fleas... I don't think they look healthier on average than most of their domesticated canine counterparts. Our coyotes live pretty rough lives.
Wild horses too, more closely related to domesticated animals than any other I can think of... I am not sure they live better or look healthier than the pampered pets on the other side of fences.
I think the truth is wild animals live pretty hard, short lives.
Easy to pick out examples that tell the story we want to tell....
The coyotes around here look pretty thin and scraggly much of the time... with bare spots from chewing fleas... I don't think they look healthier on average than most of their domesticated canine counterparts. Our coyotes live pretty rough lives.
Same with the coyotes or coy-wolves that inhabit my suburban area. They don't look that sleek or healthy.
On a side note the other day I was tossing a tennis ball with an animal that is 98% wolf be chromosomes.
I was thinking about domestic animals and man, there is HUGE variance in whether they appear to be healthy and fit or not. The old saying, "no bad pets only bad owners" kinda applies. Like dogs, right, my Grandparents had one of the most pitiable things that there is, overweight Dachshunds. They waddled around with their bellies dragging the ground. That is 100% the fault of the owners, and it's cruel. And it's 100% the fault of people that they were bred to that shape in the first place, too.
But my cat probably would not survive long at all outside. He's a pampered and spoiled little dude. I maintain his fur so it doesn't get mats, I feed him high quality all wet food, I make sure he gets plenty of exercise and he even gets his teeth cleaned. And he's in great shape and he will live a LOT longer than domestic cats usually do when they are feral or indoor/outdoor even. In no danger from parasites or diseases, cars or coyotes. And he is gorgeous.
As for people, we have free will. Until recently I lived in Colorado Springs, the state of CO often ranks as one of the most "fit" places in the US. I figure a lot of that is all the military folks there, but it's full of outdoors enthusiasts and tons of hiking, biking, climbing and so on. Like the humans are all, "Look! There are mountains! Let us crawl up and down them like ants!" Of course some people have genetic struggles to keep a healthy body shape, I've read a lot about certain genetic lines of people having a lot of trouble eating the processed food that is now so readily available in Western societies...but for many of us, we do have some choice in how we maintain our bodies. Or not.
I've certainly known plenty of "domestic" humans and animals who were fit and fine...and I've seen wild animals who were not. Dunno about "wild" humans since really there just aren't that many societies of them left in the world. But I'd bet that in the earlier epochs dominated by more primitive human forebears, there were some chonkers in the bunch. Heck, look at the primitive Goddess statuary! Fatness among women was considered a sign of general abundance and prosperity.
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