Lions, as the largest predators that hunt in packs, are the most feared.
Despite lions’ strength, speed and ability to hunt packs, a recent study found that animals on the African savannah are more afraid of humans than lions. According to conservation biologist Michael Clinchy of Western University in Canada, lions should be feared most because they are the largest land predators and hunt in packs.
“Normally, if you’re a mammal, you don’t die of disease or starvation. The thing that actually ends your life is going to be a predator, and the bigger you are, the bigger the predator that finishes you off.” says co-author Michael Clinchyalso a conservation biologist at Western University. “Lions are the world’s largest land predator that hunts in packs and should therefore be the scariest. So we compare the fear of humans with lions to find out whether humans are scarier than the scariest non-human predator.”
But after studying more than 10,000 recordings of wild animal responses, scientists found that 95% of animals were more afraid of human sounds than the roar of lions. The idea that animals would become accustomed to humans if they were not killed is refuted by this widespread and deep-seated fear of humans.
The research team from Western University played recordings of different sounds to animals at waterholes in South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park. Even in a protected area known for its large lion population, animals responded more strongly to human sounds, showing that humans are seen as a significant threat.
“We put the camera in a bear box, not because there are bears in South Africa, but because the hyenas and leopards like to chew on them,” says first author Liana Y Zanettea conservation biologist at Western University in Canada. “One night the lion shot made this elephant so angry that it attacked and destroyed the whole thing.”
“I think the pervasiveness of fear within the Savannah mammal community is a real testament to the impact humans have on the environment,” says Zanette. “Not just because of habitat loss, climate change and species extinction, which are all important things. But just the fact that we’re out there in that landscape is enough of a signal of danger that they’re responding very strongly. They are terrified of people, much more so.” than any other predator.”