Fear of the Human "Super-Predator" In African Mammals
Abstract
Humans’ exploitive killing of virtually every mammal species globally may result in a perception of humans as feared, ultra-lethal predators. In Africa, mammals are central to the continent’s tourism industry; however, it is largely unknown whether African mammals fear the presence of tourists. Firstly, I aimed to review how the presence of humans on the landscape affects African mammal behaviour. Of 31 studies, most authors reported that humans alter mammal behaviour in a manner that may negatively impact survival. To test if a fear of humans can pervade communities, I simulated the presence of humans, hunting, lions, and birds using an Automated Behavioural Response system. I recorded fleeing responses of 26 South African mammal species and found that the community fled most to human voices, especially when heard where hunting occurs. My results demonstrate that human presence induces a greater community-wide fear response than the presence of their natural predator.