tameness and domestication are not synonymous. a feral cat is not a wild animal just as a tamed bear is not domesticated.
for the record:
- domesticated: an animal that has been bred from its wild species to a more domestic counterpart, generally for a specific purpose. greater production output (plants, sheep), work (horses, dogs), and showing/sport (chickens, canaries) are popular reasons for domestication, and animals are often domesticated for more than one purpose.
- feral: an animal from a domesticated species, now living in the wild. cats (F. catus), horses (E. f. caballus), and pigeons (C. l. domestica) are some well known species that have established feral populations.
- wild: an animal that is not domesticated, and thus has not adapted to living a life in captivity or alongside humans like a domesticated animal has.
a wild animal can be tame (which is to say, they can be adjusted to human presence and interaction to various degrees) just as a domesticated animal can be feral, but the presence or absence of tameness does not imply anything other than that presence or absence of tameness.
Love this! Also some additions:
–Tame does not mean friendly. Just because an animal has a reduced flight distance does not mean they want you in their space.
–Habituated: An animal that has become accustomed to the presence of humans and becomes less fearful. Wild animals fed by people often come habituated. This is very dangerous and frequently results in human injury and/or the animal being destroyed.