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.
Just part of the evolutionary process, men will adapt and be okay.
If you go into the woods today,
You’re in for a big surprise……..
So it’s climate change not man’s ever expanding push into wild animals living space? Animals have been pushing back into their old territories for a long time. One of the most successful at it has been the Coyote who are not afraid of man and have made a number of high profile attacks on children and adults. But whatever, I would chalk this up to the climate of change rather than some BS scam of climate change.
Nope.
When people build roads and then homes where coyotes have always roamed, why are they surprised when the coyotes go after their pets?
The coyotes have not always roamed in those areas.
Seems perfectly logical to me.
Possibly because you don't know what is going on?
Perhaps it is because the number of animals is increasing.
I know this is not what disney wants you to believe but it is true.
There are a lot more wild animals in the Eastern US then there were in the 100 years prior.
And even more being brought in by WEF nitwits who want to "re-wild" areas where humans live.
The author must be off his meds.....
Where I live it is semi rural. Lots of farm land that surrounds me. Lots of wildlife here, too. Not just coyotes. Deer, raccoons, possums, skunks, groundhogs, bobcats, foxes, wild turkeys, owls, hawks, etc, etc. There’s a creek running through my very wooded backyard. I see these animals on a daily basis.
Our town wants to buy up some of that farmland behind my property, and build a road on the other side of the creek. Pretty sure when that happens the folks that buy those new dinky little slivers of land will be surprised to find all these creatures joining them and their pets.
You may be right that some people are bringing them in to some areas, but I think these particular critters have been here for a while, and that this is their home that humans have built into. I think if you ask the farmers around here, they’ll agree with me.
Are they increasing in number? I have no idea. There’s a fairly steady number of deer out here. As the new ones are born each year, the older ones die or are killed for food.
Maybe you’re right though. I’m certainly no expert.
I was in my tree stand when a squirrel jumped down on my head. He then went from my shoulder back to the tree and too the ground. It was warm for late October that day.
They drink in Ireland, no?
You’re calculating total earth surface.
If only habital land is used,
That works out to 2.3 acres per person.
Sounds like it is the humans home and the animals have moved in on them.
The farms have been around for a long time, and so have the animals. They have coexisted for a while. More recently, new homes are being built on old farm land. My point is the urban sprawl is coming to the farmland. The wildlife has been here all along. People who move into these areas are surprised by the presence of coyotes and bobcats and such, that see a nice meal from the family pet.
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