It seems that ferrets were domesticated by the ancient Greeks around 2,000 years ago, around the time that agriculture became widespread in the Mediterranean. They were first set to the task of protecting grain stores from invading rodents. Only later were they employed as hunters of rabbits and other animals. Its theorized that our own artificial selection process (selective breeding) gave the ferret its prominent musky odor. Originally, ferrets were likely bred for the strong scent so they would be better at ferreting rabbits out of their burrows. Smelling the approach of their predator, the rabbits would flee into the waiting nets at the mouths of burrows. Of course this was a popular sport by the Middle Ages, and spread across Europe and Asia.
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 22:43:20 +0000
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