Humans have long held an unhealthy fascination with science and experimentation. From flora to fauna, they have plucked each from the ground, taken them into man-made labs and tried whatever could be done with them. One of the most fascinating yet dangerous tasks humans have taken upon themselves is selective breeding. Here, they choose certain traits and characteristics in animals to breed. However, things don't always go as planned and can lead to serious genetic health issues including exaggerated features, reproductive failures and more. Here are some of the most dangerous and horrifying pets humanity has bred into existence.
Chinese Crested Dogs
While some Chinese crested dogs look beautiful and might steal your heart, others look scary enough to stop it. They were created by breeding hairless dogs with a smaller pet variety. Typically, they only have hair on their head, feet and tail. However, some dogs end up being born with exaggerated features and thin hair all over the body, leading them to win the title of the ugliest dog multiple times.
Ankole-Watusi Cows
With the longest horns in the world and weighing between 400 and 725 kg, the Ankole-Watusi cow is the king of the cattledom. Breeders in East Africa bred the females of these cows with large horns to help them protect their offspring from attacks from predators.
Budapest Pigeons
Pigeons were initially bred for racing, shows or even food. Over the years, these birds have been subjected to a lot of selective breeding changing their speed and taste, leading to the birth of the Budapest pigeon. The Potl brothers are credited for developing the breed in the early 20th century, to create efficient flyers for pigeon racing. While their feat has been largely successful with the Budapest pigeons flying for five straight hours in the air, their large bug-like eyes have scared many to death.
Damascene Goats
While it might look like an ugly and malformed dinosaur, this is actually a Damascene goat. It was bred by the herders in the Middle East for milk, meat and skin. However, they provide the best milks and cheeses and often fetch high prices at goat beauty pageants.
Jaglions
A male jaguar and a lioness got together to create a hybrid now known as a Jaglion. The fierce, velvety, scary-looking animal is not the outcome of natural mating. Jaguars and lions never mate in the wild, with one residing in the Americas and the other in Africa. This cross-species mating is a result of man-made environments, resulting in the formation of unnatural creatures. While jaglions may not find a place in the jungles any time soon, they could be front row on a billionaire's private jet for sure.
