Humans Hundreds Of Times Dangerous Than Sharks, Study Says

Humans as superpredators are hundreds of times more dangerous than a great white shark, scientists have found out.

The United Kingdom's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, quantified for the first time the dominance of humans over animals, the BBC reported.

The researchers gathered almost 50,000 different wild mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish that humans consumed for food, medicines, clothing, or even collected for pet trade.

The study indicated that humans use or trade 14,663 species, which is almost a third of all vertebrates. On the other hand, 39 percent are headed for extinction.

Ray-finned fish and bird species are the most exploited, while reptiles and amphibians are the least exploited.

This findings made human impact up to 300 times greater than the top known predators, such as the great white shark, lion, or even tiger.

Great white sharks are known to be the top marine predator of the ocean, but they also fall prey to killer whales and humans, according to the study.

"Humans have a breath-taking diversity of uses of animals but we need to move towards sustainable human-nature relationships across the globe," Dr. Rob Cooke, one of the researchers, said.

Humans Dominate Food Chain

Humans commonly disrupt the food chain process by influencing the availability of food supplies for predatory species.

Almost 30 percent of the species preyed on by bigeye tuna and 100 percent of the species preyed on by jaguars are used or traded by humans, Euronews reported.

The study also showed that half of the exploited animals were used for food, while birds, reptiles, and amphibians were being targeted for the pet trade.

Meanwhile, exploited species hunted for sports or trophies are about eight percent.

"Continued overexploitation will likely bear profound consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem function," the researchers have warned.

The study also stressed that humans are entering the period of the Anthropocene, where human activities have a dominant influence on climate and the environment.

Most of the animal species on land have been dominated by domesticated animals, which shaped the natural world.

What Humans Can Do?

Reducing meat consumption is one way that humans can do in order to help restore the balance in the ecosystem.

A study revealed that over 7,000 animals, including fish, are consumed by each meat eater over the course of their lives while eating a plant-based diet saves the lives of at least 105 animals per year, as reported by Simply Healthy Vegan.

By cutting meat consumption, one can also help combat the effects of climate change.

According to DW News, greenhouse gas emissions from plant-based foods are relatively lower compared to those from animal-based foods. The meat industry is also responsible for a large share of the global greenhouse gas emissions.

Natural habitat preservation is also crucial. Supporting and taking part in conservation efforts, such as the creation of protected areas, wildlife reserves, and national parks, can help protect a variety of species' habitats.

Related Video: