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Animal attacks on humans to surge as climate change forces a battle for living space
Irish Examiner ^ | 3/3/2023 | Pádraig Hoare Environment Correspondent

Posted on 03/03/2023 11:37:34 AM PST by Right Wing Vegan

Animal attacks on people are set to increase in the coming decades as climate change plays havoc with habitats in the wild and forces creatures into human settlements.

Scientists have warned that lions, sharks, bears, and the world's most venomous snakes are far more likely to end up in conflict with humans as both vie for living space in the future.

In a study published in the Nature Climate Change journal, researchers at the University of Washington’s (UW) Center for Ecosystem Sentinels found that a warming world is increasing human-wildlife conflicts.

UW assistant professor of biology and lead author Briana Abrahms said: "We found evidence of conflicts between people and wildlife exacerbated by climate change on six continents, in five different oceans, in terrestrial systems, in marine systems, in freshwater systems — involving mammals, reptiles, birds, fish and even invertebrates. Although each individual case has its own array of different causes and effects, these climate-driven conflicts are really ubiquitous.”

Examples cited include torrential floods in Tanzania leading to more lion attacks after their usual prey migrated away from floodplains.

Also in Tanzania, a severe drought struck the western part of the Kilimanjaro region in 2009, reducing food supplies for African elephants, which in turn entered local fields to graze on crops, at times destroying up to three acres daily. Local farmers resorted to killings the elephants to try and stop the movement into their lands.

Snake bites

Higher air temperatures in Australia has triggered more aggressive behaviour in eastern brown snakes, leading to more incidents of snake bites.

The eastern brown snake is notorious for having the second most lethal venom in the world, but because it prefers open spaces like woodlands and tends to stay away from humans, incidents are relatively rare. Even so, their dangerous venom has led to the most fatal snakebites in Australia over the past 150 years.

Other indicators of human-animal conflict can be seen in the wildfires in Sumatra, Indonesia that were triggered by El Niño, the climate-warming air phenomenon. Records show that the wildfires drove Asian elephants and tigers out of reserves and into human-inhabited areas, leading to at least one death.

Disruption of terrestrial food webs during the cooling La Niña climate phenomenon, the opposite of El Niño, in the Americas drove black bears in New Mexico and foxes in Chile into human settlements in search of food, the researchers said.

El Niño warmer air and ocean temperatures led to an increase in shark attacks in South Africa, they added.

They warned that these types of conflicts are likely to rise as climate change intensifies, particularly as mass migrations of people and wildlife increase and resources shift.

Dr Abrahms said solutions to the growing problem are possible.

Such measures include public awareness campaigns to carry bear spray while hiking or following Botswana's lead in tackling human-wildlife conflict.

Botswana compensates herders and ranchers for drought-induced attacks by wildlife on livestock, often in exchange for pledges not to engage in retaliatory killings of wildlife, the researchers said.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Weird Stuff
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To: Right Wing Vegan

21 posted on 03/03/2023 11:55:29 AM PST by shadowlands1960 (We live in a world of intolerance masked as tolerance. RUSH LIMBAUGH)
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To: shadowlands1960

HAHA!


22 posted on 03/03/2023 11:57:31 AM PST by Right Wing Vegan (Pot legalization licenses every degenerate pothead piece of trash to force drug neighbors.)
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To: shadowlands1960

“For centuries humans ruined the climate... ...Now the animals must save it from them.”


23 posted on 03/03/2023 11:59:14 AM PST by Right Wing Vegan (Pot legalization licenses every degenerate pothead piece of trash to force drug neighbors.)
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To: cuz1961
I spent decades flying at nights across the country in charter cargo aircraft. From single engine Cesna 206 to light twins, to Lear 24.

Other than the coasts and a few River access port cities inland, there is nothing in the middle of this country. There were times I would enter 911 into my LORAN or GPS and the closest precision approach airport to me was more than 200 Nautical Miles away.

This is by large a vacant landscape in America. There are enough forests to drop millions of kilos of cocaine for every bear.

24 posted on 03/03/2023 11:59:28 AM PST by blackdog ((Z28.310) Forget "Global Warming", new grants are for "Galaxy Dimming")
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To: Right Wing Vegan

The propaganda campaign to push everyone into large cities and survive on bugs is really heating up.


25 posted on 03/03/2023 11:59:54 AM PST by robel
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To: blackdog
Cokebear-final2
26 posted on 03/03/2023 12:01:31 PM PST by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: cuz1961

I bet hunter could give the bears a run for their money.


27 posted on 03/03/2023 12:02:51 PM PST by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: Right Wing Vegan

What a crock of shit.


28 posted on 03/03/2023 12:05:21 PM PST by cp124 (80% of everything is fake or a lie.)
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To: cuz1961

**..Square miles on globe...136 square miles per person.**

Ok, how many sq miles when you exclude Antarctica, some large deserts, and the oceans/seas?

I gonna guess around 15 sq mi/per person. Still quite a bit breathing space.


29 posted on 03/03/2023 12:07:35 PM PST by Zuriel (Acts 2:38,39....Do you believe it?)
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To: Right Wing Vegan

“Scientists have warned that lions, sharks, bears,...”

Knock at the door....Who is it??

Landshark


30 posted on 03/03/2023 12:09:40 PM PST by wyokostur
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To: Right Wing Vegan

Somebody’s smoking some powerful dope.


31 posted on 03/03/2023 12:09:50 PM PST by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: Right Wing Vegan

Does this cover Pitt bull attacks???


32 posted on 03/03/2023 12:15:19 PM PST by americas.best.days... ( Donald John Trump has pulled the sword from the stone.)
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To: FamiliarFace

That’s it, almost 100%.....


33 posted on 03/03/2023 12:20:35 PM PST by JBW1949 (I'm really PC.....Patriotically Correct)
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To: FamiliarFace

Actually it’s the reverse of that. The coyote population has expanded into areas they never were until settled by man (and his pets).


34 posted on 03/03/2023 12:21:16 PM PST by Cold Heart
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To: Eccl 10:2

The wolf reintroduction nut cases are just following Bible Prophecy.


35 posted on 03/03/2023 12:22:58 PM PST by Cold Heart
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To: Right Wing Vegan

Life is inherently unfair.


36 posted on 03/03/2023 12:25:49 PM PST by waredbird
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To: cp124
"They pay our media ompany to say stuff, so I do it to get my paycheck "

99% of the press reporters.

37 posted on 03/03/2023 12:25:54 PM PST by blackdog ((Z28.310) Forget "Global Warming", new grants are for "Galaxy Dimming")
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To: Right Wing Vegan

Hoare can go fu*k him self.


38 posted on 03/03/2023 12:28:01 PM PST by Brooklyn Attitude (I went to bed on November 3rd 2020 and woke up in 1984.)
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To: Right Wing Vegan

Watch out! Land shark!


39 posted on 03/03/2023 12:37:08 PM PST by familyop ("For they that sleep with dogs, shall rise with fleas" (John Webster, "The White Devil" 1612).)
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To: Right Wing Vegan
From the article:
Examples cited include torrential floods in Tanzania leading to more lion attacks after their usual prey migrated away from floodplains.
Also in Tanzania, a severe drought struck the western part of the Kilimanjaro region in 2009, reducing food supplies for African elephants, which in turn entered local fields to graze on crops, at times destroying up to three acres daily. Local farmers resorted to killings the elephants to try and stop the movement into their lands.

To this we say p-b-b-b-t-t-t! During the recent cooling period (Little Ice Age) Africa suffered much worse droughts (called mega-droughts) followed by much worse rains than anything like in the Modern Warm Period. When you have very low crop yields you do outrageous things like, oh I don't know, conquer land from the people around you so you can feed your people. Then you sell the conquered people out and there it is: the supply side of the African slave trade in 17th and 18th centuries. Done in large part because of global cooling, not warming.

But we're supposed to think the rain patterns today in Africa are some kind of new and horrible thing because of global warming. LOL

40 posted on 03/03/2023 12:55:26 PM PST by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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