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Which animals were domesticated in Mesoamerica?

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Domesticated yaks carrying supplies in colorful bundles walk along a rocky mountain trail toward Everest Base Camp, with snow-covered peaks in the background in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. — Domestication Domesticated yaks (*Bos grunniens*) carrying supplies to an Everest base camp in Sagarmatha National Park, Khumbu region, Nepal.

In Mesoamerica, the domestication of animals played a relatively minor role compared to the region's highly developed agricultural systems. Because the Americas lacked large, gregarious species suitable for use as draft animals, Mesoamerican societies relied primarily on human energy for labor.123

The primary animals domesticated in the Mesoamerican region were:

Dogs: The dog was the only animal surely domesticated in Mesoamerica before 1500 BCE. These animals, often hairless, were kept for various purposes, including as a source of meat.13
Turkeys: The turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) was a significant domestic animal used as a food source.23
Muscovy Ducks: The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) was also domesticated in the region.24

While other animals like the llama, alpaca, and guinea pig were domesticated in the Andes of South America, they were not part of the Mesoamerican domestication complex.24