How Humans Exploit Animals: A Study Reveals That We Affect 14,663 Vertebrate Species in Various Ways

Humans are the most dominant and influential species on Earth, affecting the lives and fates of millions of other animals. However, how many and which animals do we actually use, eat, or trade?

A new study by a team of international researchers has attempted to answer this question by analyzing data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an organization that tracks the status and threats of wildlife species around the world.

The extent and diversity of human exploitation of animals

(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)

The researchers found that out of the 46,755 known species of vertebrates (animals with backbones), 14,663 species (or about 31%) are used or traded by humans in some way, as per Phys.org.

This includes killing them for food, clothing, medicine, hunting, or collecting; taking them from the wild to keep as pets, display in zoos or aquariums, or use for research; or trading them for money or other goods.

The researchers also found that humans use or trade a wide range of animal groups, from mammals and birds to fish and reptiles.

The most exploited groups are ray-finned fish (49% of species) and birds (48% of species), followed by mammals (35% of species), amphibians (15% of species), and reptiles (13% of species).

Within each group, there are also differences in the level and type of exploitation. For example, among mammals, rodents and bats are the least exploited (less than 10% of species), while primates and carnivores are the most exploited (more than 60% of species).

The researchers also compared human exploitation with natural predation by other animals that have similar body size, diet, and range as humans.

They found that humans exploit nearly 100 times as many vertebrate species as these natural predators, on average.

For instance, orcas (also known as killer whales) eat 121 vertebrate species, while humans eat 83 of those same species plus 10,337 others in the ocean alone.

Similarly, jaguars eat nine vertebrate species, while humans eat all nine plus 2,698 others on land.

Also Read: Humans' Over-Exploitation Causes Widlife Extinction More than Climate Change

The impacts and implications of human exploitation of animals

The researchers argue that human exploitation of animals has profound impacts on the biodiversity and ecology of the planet, as well as on the health and well-being of humans and animals, as per New Scientists.

They pointed out that many exploited species are threatened with extinction due to overexploitation, habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, disease, and pollution.

According to the IUCN data, 39% of exploited vertebrate species are classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.

Moreover, human exploitation can disrupt the natural balance and functioning of ecosystems, affecting the services they provide such as pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.

The researchers also suggested that human exploitation of animals can pose risks to human health and security, as well as ethical and moral dilemmas.

They noted that many zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans) originate from contact with wild animals that are used or traded by humans.

Examples include COVID-19, Ebola, SARS, MERS, HIV/AIDS, rabies, and anthrax.

Furthermore, human exploitation can fuel illegal wildlife trade and trafficking, which can threaten national and international security, as well as human rights and animal welfare.

The researchers hoped that their study will raise awareness and stimulate action to reduce human exploitation of animals and to promote more sustainable and humane ways of interacting with them.

They are calling for more research and monitoring of the patterns and trends of human exploitation; more regulation and enforcement of the legal and illegal wildlife trade; more education and awareness-raising among consumers and producers; more conservation and restoration of habitats and populations; more alternatives and innovations to replace animal products; and more respect and compassion for animals as fellow beings.

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