Researchers with numbers in their hands have demonstrated who is the main killer on planet Earth.
How many wild animals do people kill? The answer to this question was decided by a team of American biologists representing the State University of New York and the National Wildlife Research Center from Ohio. Scientists began to study scientific papers that used radio telemetry to observe animals. This is when a special device is attached to the animal's body (for example, a GPS-collar) and it transmits information about the movements of the "owner" and the parameters of his health. In this way, you can trace the fate of the "ringed" animal to the very end. During the period from 1970 to 2018, 1114 such studies were carried out in the world, with their help, scientists obtained information about the fate of 120 657 animals. At the same time, in 42,755 cases (that is, in almost every third) it was possible to establish the cause of the death of a living creature. Scientists have developed a classification system. Suppose death due to human fault could occur as a result of legal hunting, poaching, collision with a car on the road, electric shock when in contact with electrical wires … Natural death included death from attacks by predators, illness, hunger or an accident, etc.
“We found that humans are directly responsible for the deaths of one in four animals worldwide,” says Professor Jacob Hill, lead author of the study. - However, in general, on the conscience of a person, there is probably much more crimes against his smaller brothers, since we did not take into account the indirect effects when animals die as a result of loss of habitat and environmental pollution.
Claws against guns
So, what is the effectiveness of the main killer on planet Earth? At the hands of humans, 28 percent of animals and birds die. Of these, 17 percent are victims of official hunting.
At the same time, 72 percent of the inhabitants of forests, fields and rivers die for natural reasons. The main one is the attacks of predators, which account for 55 percent. It would seem that this figure speaks of a relatively modest human contribution to the extermination of animals: it turns out that 3 times more animals die from teeth and claws than from bullets and hunting traps. But the researchers emphasize that human guilt can be seen even in cases where the cause of death of animals is classified as natural. For example, feral cats pose the main threat to endangered swamp rabbits. And the reason for the decline in the population of the tree kangaroo Lumholz is formally considered the "robber" activity of dogs. Although kangaroos actually became vulnerable to predators after people began cutting down trees in droves,which were the only safe refuge for the marsupials.
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Evolution in reverse
There is another significant difference in the activities of humans and all other predators combined. Natural relationships between predators and their prey are so balanced by nature that this competition is for the benefit of both species - the fittest survive. And the predatory inclinations of a person threaten the disappearance of the species that he hunts. Trophy hunting enthusiasts are not interested in the weak and the sick, but in the strong and large specimens. This leads to the degradation of the species. An example is the populations of bighorn sheep, the attention of shooters is primarily attracted by large animals with large horns. The shooting of the "record holders" led to the fact that "reverse evolution" began among the animals - frail males with undeveloped horns got the best chances of survival. And this can affect the viability of the population.
So, to atone for their sins, it is not enough for people to post cats on their social media feed. We need real steps to limit our own bestial inclinations.
ONLY NUMBERS
It is estimated that the rate of extinction of vertebrates over the past century is 100 times (!) Higher than the background levels observed in nature before. And now, according to some estimates, 41% of amphibians, 25% of mammals and 13% of birds are threatened with extinction.
YAROSLAV KOROBATOV