Humanity exploits about a third of all wild animals for food, medicine, or as pets, putting nearly half of the animals at risk of extinction. – writes the BBC science department.
This makes us hundreds of times more dangerous than natural predators like the great white shark. Scientists warn of dire consequences for entire ecosystems.
Dr Rob Cook, of the UK’s Center for Environment and Hydrology, said they were surprised by the scale and scale of what they found.
Animals are used by humans in amazing diversity, but we must move towards a sustainable relationship between man and nature across the planet.
The researchers analyzed data on nearly 50,000 different wild mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish that people collect for food, medicine, clothing, or for the pet trade.
They found that we use or trade 14,663 species – about a third of all vertebrates – and drive 39% of them to extinction. Our impact is 300 times greater than that of major predators such as white sharks, lions or tigers.
Humankind affects other animals on the planet now more than ever before in history. We are entering the Anthropocene, the period during which human activity has a dominant influence on climate and the environment.
Domesticated animals now make up the majority of animal species on Earth, and make up the natural world. Researchers warn that if animal exploitation continues, it will have severe consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
The research has been published in Communications Biology.
(Source: BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/)
