Quick question! How would you feel if an unknown entity barged into your comfort zone and started attacking you? You’d probably experience a complete mix of emotions, ranging from pure confusion to misery and then finally anger, isn't it?
Now just remove yourself from the center of that scenario and place an innocent wild animal there instead. Can you fathom what that speechless creature goes through with all the mindless hunting and destruction of natural habitat? If you can, thank the heavens ‘cuz you’re still human. If not, well, may God really help you...
Vincent van Zalinge/Unsplash | Humans have been exploiting and hunting animals for centuries, but the creatures never seem to attack back in as huge numbers as they can
Humans have been exploiting nature and animals for a very long time now. Call it passion, showing off of power, or the blind need to conquer, it doesn't really matter. The bitter truth is that nature and animals have to pay a very heavy price at the hands of humans.
But have you ever wondered why even after all that we put them through, wild animals don’t attack humans that often? They’re twice bigger, stronger, and faster than most human beings - we're practically defenseless - and yet, animals somehow seem to maintain their distance from us. Why is that so?
Why do predators not attack humans that often?
There are a bunch of reasons why they don't feed on us that often. John Hawk, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Wisconsin, states that human beings practice bipedalism, the motion of walking on two legs, which makes us look stronger and a possible threat towards other species. Walking on two legs makes us look free, big, and strong. When predators notice a creature walking all uptight with a straight posture, they usually consider it tougher than themselves. TBH, that actually makes sense!
Bruno Ramos Lara/Unsplash | Experts believe the reason predatory animals fear humans is because we walk on two legs
Upgradation of technology and extinction of wildlife
Humans constantly evolve when it comes to adapting to new technology. With advancements in hunting techniques and weapons, humans have become a constant threat to predators. We don't only have the power to attack them, but also kill them despite their toughest fights. After all, we’re the ones holding the guns while all they have are their teeth and claws!
Also, with the incessant hunting, trapping, and poisoning of predators for over a century now, their numbers have been declining at an alarming rate. The situation has gone so out of control that a huge habitat of large predators is facing extinction. Clearly, humans have outnumbered wild animals which is why it's almost impossible for predators to attack them, even as a defense mechanism.
Carlos Cram/Unsplash | Maybe the answer lies in mutual respect and coexisting
Maybe the answer lies in coexisting
Amidst everything, have you ever thought of the situation in this way - what if this fear is a good thing? Not to mean that humans should expect animals to fear them so they can further exert their superiority, but purely from a co-existential perspective - what if wild animals fearing humans could be looked at as a positive thing. A sort of mutual respect factor – a scenario where they respect human boundaries and humans respect theirs. Won’t it create a better world?
