nondomesticated

Nondomesticated refers to organisms that have not undergone domestication, the long-term process of human-directed breeding that produces traits favorable to human use and management. Nondomesticated populations occur in natural ecosystems or in human-influenced settings but have not been bred or kept under controlled domestication. The term is often used to contrast with domesticated species and with feral populations, which descend from domesticated ancestors but live and reproduce in the wild.

Domestication is characterized by genetic changes accumulated through generations under captivity and selection for traits such as temperament, productivity, or utility. Nondomesticated organisms may still interact with humans, but they have not been shaped by a sustained program of artificial selection. Tameness or habituation is not the same as domestication, and nondomesticated species may be wary or elusive around people.

The concept is applied in biology, ecology, and agriculture. Examples of nondomesticated organisms include wild canids (such as wolves), wild felids, and other wildlife that have not undergone domestication, as well as wild relatives of crops (for example, teosinte, the wild ancestor of maize) and other non-domesticated plant species. These populations often retain natural ecological roles and genetic diversity that can be important for conservation and for studies of evolution and domestication.

Limitations and clarifications: boundaries between nondomesticated, wild, or feral can be nuanced, especially for species living near human settlements or with partial domestication histories. The term emphasizes lack of domestication rather than the level of acclimation to human presence.