What is our apex predator?
There are some “apex” predators that are found throughout much of the world, including grey wolves, blue whales, killer whales and great white sharks. In my mind, however, humans are clearly the overall apex predator of the world. We've even been called the super-predator!
Humans are not considered apex predators because their diets are typically diverse, although human trophic levels increase with consumption of meat.
Lions are the archetypal apex predator, but their hunting success rate strongly depends on the number of lions involved – a single lion hunting in daylight has a success rate of 17-19%, but this increases for those hunting as a group to 30%.
Apex predators do not have natural predators of their own. Mountain Lions, Polar Bears, Orcas and Large sharks are all considered Apex as they dont have to worry about another animal eating them.
The authors conclude that HTL varies globally between 2.04 and 2.57. The mean HTL of 2.21 has increased over time as societies trend toward meatier diets. The authors also assert that humans, therefore, are not apex predators nor at the top of the food chain, being more comparable to low FTL omnivores.
Apex predator
However, up until between 40,000 and 90,000 years ago, humans were indeed apex predators. Our ancestors hunted a lot and they were very good at it, reliably downing game animals and feasting on them, allowing untold generations of ancient humans to prosper.
Apex predator is a relative term, and it is relative to the community of interest. So, if you were in North America before humans arrived, along the edge of the glaciers, it probably would have been a grizzly bear or ancestor thereof.
Crocodiles. Crocodile attacks on people are common in places where crocodiles are native. The saltwater and Nile crocodiles are responsible for more attacks and more deaths than any other wild predator that attacks humans for food.
- Killer Whale. The killer whale is the biggest individual from the dolphin family and one among the smartest predators. ...
- Tiger. Its length is about 3.3 meters and weighs more than 300 KG. ...
- Great White Shark. ...
- Lion. ...
- Polar Bear. ...
- Golden Eagle. ...
- Saltwater Crocodile. ...
- Snow Leopard.
What animal has no predator?
Animals with no natural predators are called apex predators, because they sit at the top (or apex) of the food chain. The list is indefinite, but it includes lions, grizzly bears, crocodiles, giant constrictor snakes, wolves, sharks, electric eels, giant jellyfish, killer whales, polar bears, and arguably, humans.
: a predator at the top of a food chain that is not preyed upon by any other animal The archipelago also harbors some of the highest densities in the world of so-called apex predators, the sharks, groupers and jacks who have no natural predators of their own but whose numbers have been depleted elsewhere by fishermen.—
Humans have evolved to be omnivorous, eating both animals and plants for survival. However, this evolutionary fact doesn't mean that you have to eat meat.
Apex predators, such as this leopard (Panthera pardus) outside of Mumbai, often fear humans. As they change their behaviors to avoid the stress of human contact, a cascade of ecological effects results.
Nor was it just cats. Humans were eaten by giant hyenas, cave bears, cave lions, eagles, snakes, other primates, wolves, saber-toothed cats, false saber-toothed cats, and maybe even—bless their hearts—giant, predatory kangaroos.
Paleozoic sphenacodontid synapsids are the oldest known fully terrestrial apex predators. Dimetrodon and other sphenacodontids are the first terrestrial vertebrates to have strong heterodonty, massive skulls and well-developed labio-lingually compressed and recurved teeth with mesial and distal cutting edges (carinae).
Small fish, crabs, and whales are zooplankton predators. Because they are too little and feeble to defend themselves, they are one of the world's weakest creatures.
It is vital to stand your ground, perhaps retreating very slowly, but to continue facing the lion while clapping your hands, shouting and waving your arms around to make yourself look bigger. Most charges are mock charges, so you will usually be fine. And remember: hold your ground! Never run or turn your back.
"The black-footed cat is a nocturnal species found in Southern Africa. They are considered the deadliest cat in the world with a success rate of 60% on all of their hunts," said Chelsea Davis, San Diego Zoo wildlife care specialist.
Pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) aren't the only marine mammals that have snacked on a shark. The sperm whale is a marine mammal that is considered an apex predator in certain habitats and it has been recorded as having eaten shark eggs.
Which animal has high IQ?
CHIMPANZEES. RECKONED to be the most-intelligent animals on the planet, chimps can manipulate the environment and their surroundings to help themselves and their community. They can work out how to use things as tools to get things done faster, and they have outsmarted people many a time.
- Long-tailed weasels are almost too cute to be carnivores. ...
- The playful jaguar doesn't joke while on the hunt. ...
- Don't let the fossa's pretty eyes fool you... ...
- A meerkat's favorite snack? ...
- Those polar bear noses aren't just darling accessories!
Sperm whales are the world's largest predator, with males reaching lengths of up to 67 feet (20.5 meters) and weights of up to 90 tons (81 metric tons). Females are slightly smaller, reaching lengths of up to 33 feet (10 meters).
A look through hundreds of previous studies on everything from modern human anatomy and physiology to measures of the isotopes inside ancient human bones and teeth suggests we were primarily apex predators until roughly 12,000 years ago.
Source: CNET | ||
---|---|---|
Animal | Humans killed per year | |
1 | Mosquitos | 1,000,000 |
2 | Humans (homicides only) | 475,000 |
3 | Snakes | 50,000 |
Perhaps the most feared predator in the world, the great white shark truly is the king of the oceans, and thanks to movies such as Jaws is generally feared – and even hated – by humans.
Although humans can be attacked by many kinds of non-human animals, man-eaters are those that have incorporated human flesh into their usual diet and actively hunt and kill humans. Most reported cases of man-eaters have involved lions, tigers, leopards, polar bears, and large crocodilians.
The first known apex predator was the very odd invertebrate, Anomalocaris (meaning "anomalous shrimp"). For the time in which it lived, when most organisms were no more than a few inches in length, Anomalocaris was huge, ranging up to a meter (3.3 ft) in size.