Bos taurus
Cattle is the domesticated descendant of an animal called aurochs (Bos primigenius) which is extinct. They were first domesticated in southeastern Europe about 8500 years ago. Since then, they have been used for meat and milk production, but also for their power and for sport. The 5000-year-old Minoan civilization, on the Greek island of Crete features murals with paintings of games with bulls on the walls of the ancient Minoan palace. This tradition continues today, in the form of bullfights in Spain, and various other sports in American rodeos.
The picture of this bull was shot at the Indianapolis zoo, in April 2001.
Genus Bos
Subfamily Bovinae
Family Bovidae
Order Artiodactyla
Subclass Eutheria
Class Mammalia
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
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