Eli5: Why can’t you make a pet out of a wolf, a bear or a lion?
In: Biology
>Why can’t you make a pet out of a wolf, a bear or a lion?
You can, and people have, but you’re playing with fire.
You might get [Christian the Lion](https://youtu.be/btuxO-C2IzE?si=yiZiIjMnypgeEiRx) but you might just as easily get [Travis the Chimp](https://youtu.be/yqOjG1NiQb8?si=iZ2Ze5ahur2h4VRs) or [Asya the bear](https://youtu.be/vvQaPBxcwck?si=spcnk9Z91rr_JUXI)
Domesticated animals have been bred to be pre-disposed to be docile and friendly. Wild animals can be trained and acclimated to humans, but they’re still wild. In the case of something like a bear or lion in particular, the fact they are so large and powerful makes them especially dangerous. A bear treats everyone else like a bear. The problem is, bears are way tougher and way stronger than us. The way that bear reacted to that woman was the bear equivalent of “Hey, don’t sneak up on me and get outta my space.” He probably wasn’t really trying to hurt her even, just warn her off. But he’s a bear, and doesn’t understand that what would be considered a light warning to another bear is likely to put a human in the hospital.
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