When humans kill each other in war, wildlife dies too
War’s main effect is killing people, sure — but it also kills wildlife. In Africa, the number of large animals like elephants, zebras, and buffalo can decline as much as 90 percent during wartime, according to new research. But the animals that do survive can rebuild their populations, so conservation efforts in war-torn areas are incredibly important.
Researchers looked at thousands of reports about wildlife populations in protected areas in Africa between 1946 and 2010. They found that in peacetime, the number of large herbivores stays largely stable. But even one year of conflict in as little as 20 years causes wildlife to decline, according to the study published today in Nature. The longer the war continues, the steeper the…
