Where is the birthplace of the Zebu firmly rooted according to archaeological evidence?
Answer
Indian subcontinent
Archaeological findings firmly anchor the origin and domestication of the Zebu to the Indian subcontinent, a region that is now primarily modern-day India. This area provided the challenging initial environmental pressures, such as extremely high ambient heat and significant loads of tropical parasites, which historically drove the natural selection favoring the specific traits Zebu are known for. These indigenous traits include superior heat tolerance and inherent resistance to various endemic tropical diseases, establishing a deep, long-standing connection between the animal and its ancestral South Asian homeland.

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