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Scientists discovered that mammals in a home to a large lion population are more scared of human voices than by lion sounds or hunting noises like barking dogs or gunshots.
The experiment aimed to understand how different animals react to various sounds.
Let's find out why these animals are more afraid of humans than lions.
Scientists studied 19 mammal species living in a National Park of South Africa.
They used recordings of human voices, lion sounds, barking dogs, and gunshots to see how the animals would react.
Surprisingly, the animals were twice as likely to run away or leave waterholes when they heard human voices compared to lion sounds or hunting noises.
Nearly 95% of the species showed a stronger reaction to humans than to lions.
The test results indicate that the fear of humans is deeply rooted and prevalent among savannah mammals, challenging the belief that animals will become accustomed to humans if not hunted.
Now, the team is investigating the potential use of specialized sound systems to steer endangered species away from areas where poaching occurs in South Africa.
The researchers emphasize that the fear of humans is a crucial factor that must be seriously taken into account in conservation efforts.
This suggests that, even without hunting, the mere presence of humans poses a significant threat to wildlife and requires thoughtful consideration for effective conservation strategies.