World’s Most Vilified and Dangerous Animals May Be Humankind’s Best Ally

Some of the specific benefits the authors cite include: the recolonization of cougars in the U.S. over the next 30 years that curtail deer-vehicle collisions by 22 percent and save $2.13B; birds and bats in Sulawesi that currently prevent destruction of 30 percent of cacao crops from insect pests; and how the decline or red foxes is linked to Lyme disease outbreaks.

But many predator species are in trouble, particularly in landscapes shared by humans. For example, leopards have disappeared across 78 percent of their historic range, African lions are predicted to continue to decline by half outside protected areas, and 17 of the 22 vulture species are declining due to human activities.

Said Professor James Watson, a co-author based at University of Queensland and Director of Science at WCS. “There is a lot about of research highlighting the negative impacts of predators and scavengers, and we are only just now beginning to understand the potentially irreplaceable services that these animals can provide human societies. We must understand that if we lose these animals, humanity loses. The more we understand the benefits these species provide, the better we can identify those situations that lead to win-win’s for both species and societies, an outcome that could enhance the protection of one Earth’s imperiled species.”

The contribution of predators and scavengers to human well-being appears in the February 2018 edition of Nature Ecology & Evolution journal (DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0421-2)

Contacts and sources:
Stephen Sautner
WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)