Humans in the Americas domesticated a limited number of animals before the Columbian Exchange, with the main domesticated animals being dogs, llamas, alpacas, turkeys, and guinea pigs. After the Columbian Exchange, many Old World animals such as horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens were introduced and became part of human societies in the Americas.
Animals Domesticated Before the Columbian Exchange
- Dogs: Native American dogs were present for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. They were domesticated and bred in multiple lineages across the Americas.
- Llamas and Alpacas: These were important pack animals and sources of wool in the Andes region.
- Turkeys: Domesticated primarily in Mesoamerica and North America, turkeys were used for food and feathers.
- Guinea pigs: Domesticated in the Andes as a food source.
- Bees: Particularly the Melipona species were kept by the Maya for honey and wax, although this is not always counted as domestication in the strict sense.
Animals Introduced After the Columbian Exchange
- Horses: Introduced by Europeans, transformed hunting, transportation, and warfare among many Native American groups.
- Cattle: Brought by Europeans, important for meat, leather, and labor.
- Pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, and donkeys: Also introduced from Europe and integrated into Native American agriculture and economies.
Summary Table
Time Period| Key Domesticated Animals in the Americas
---|---
Before Columbian Exchange| Dogs, llamas, alpacas, turkeys, guinea pigs,
Melipona bees
After Columbian Exchange| Horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens,
donkeys
This reflects that the Americas had fewer native large domesticable animals compared to Eurasia and Africa, which influenced the types of domesticated species before European contact. The introduction of Old World domesticates during and after the Columbian Exchange dramatically changed the animal domesticates available in the Americas.