Many animals in the savannah react most fearfully to human voices
Brian Guzzetti/Travel RM/Alamy
Wildlife in the savannah find human voices even more frightening than the growls and snarls of lions, suggesting that humans are perceived as the scarier predator, according to a study led by Michael Clinchy at the University of Western Ontario in Canada.
Giraffes, elephants, impalas, rhinoceroses, leopards, and other mammal species in a South African wildlife reserve were observed to run away from loudspeakers twice as often when they heard human voices compared to the sounds of lions. The researchers set up loudspeakers and cameras on trees near animal paths in Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa, to capture the reactions of the animals.
The study implies that regardless of the type of human presence (tourist, poacher, etc.), animals perceive humans as equally threatening. This fear of humans can have ecological consequences and contribute to the decline in the number of species.
The findings suggest that human vocal recordings could be used as a deterrent to wildlife entering crop fields or livestock farms, as well as to protect vulnerable species like rhinoceroses from poaching.
