A new study has revealed that elephants, rhinos, and giraffes are more afraid of human voices than the roars of lions, which are considered the most feared predators in Africa. The research was conducted by Liana Zanette from the University of Western Ontario and Craig Packer, a lion expert from the University of Minnesota. They conducted experiments in Kruger National Park, which is home to the largest lion population in Africa. The scientists used hidden speaker systems at watering holes to play different sounds, including human voices, lion roars, and control noises, to see how the animals would react.
The results showed that animals were twice as likely to flee and did so significantly faster (40%) when they heard human voices instead of lion roars. Almost all species (94.7%) reacted faster to humans than to lions. Giraffes, leopards, hyenas, zebras, kudus, warthogs, and impalas were more likely to flee at the sound of human voices than lion roars, while elephants and rhinos left watering holes significantly faster when they heard humans than when they heard lions. The study’s findings suggest that humans are the “super-predator” in the animal kingdom, as they kill more prey than any other predator.
The researchers believe that the fear of humans could have significant ecological consequences, as other studies have shown that fear can reduce animal populations. The study highlights the need for humans to be more aware of their impact on the environment and to take steps to reduce their negative impact on wildlife. The findings also suggest that conservation efforts should focus on reducing human-wildlife conflicts and protecting animal habitats to ensure the survival of these species.
