Exactly this period of time was enough for foxes to forget about natural aggressivity and let people touch her.

      15 thousand years ago ancient man started a great biological experiment on domestication of animals. But the secret of domestication was lost.

      Academician Dmitry Belyaev ( the founder of the method of domestication) supposed that the breeding of tame animals was held by selection of more tame species, not so aggressive and less fearful.Siberian scientists have followed this path and achieved significant results.The institute began to study variability of the species long time ago and all their experiments started on foxes. At first foxes were breeded in cage conditions.

      Belyaev explained that the scientists select least aggressive and fearful animals, which feel comfortable with people. Then they increase this effect by crossing the animals with more domestic species.Such domestication will take about ten generations.

      According to the scientist, every fourth puppy now has the signs of domestication and is selected for the further improvemet of tame behaviour.Tame foxes even change their colour. White spots are the fist signs of progress,as wild animals don't have such spots, it is typically for cats, dogs and sheep. The reason of appearance of such spots is still a mystery for biologists.

      Tame foxes are like dogs : they wag tails, jump if they are glad or want to play. They want to be with human.Foxes are absolutely non-aggressive and they can be taken to home like usual dogs.But foxes are very curious animals,

      that's why it is better to keep them in houses or they will tear all the carpets and books.

      One can't let tame foxes in the natural conditions. They won't be able to survive without their lost instincts.

source:

nauka21vek.ru/