Predator inspires fear in mammals more than any other animal

Of all the vertebrate creatures on this planet, the one that inspires the greatest fear is mammals. Humans. Multiple studies have shown that our voices elicit more fear than any other predator, and now another sound supports these findings.

Tasmanian marsupials are 2.4 times more likely to run for their lives when they hear a human voice than when they hear the voice of any other predator.

Wildlife all over the planet understand that humans are the greatest source of danger.

Last year, researchers discovered that mammals in the African savannah are more afraid of human voices than lions.

The researchers played the sounds of dogs, wolves, and Tasmanian devils, and the human sounds of kangaroos, sussums, wallabies, and padelons. Of the 684 videos that recorded their reactions, the marsupials panicked and fled to human sounds 2.4 times more often than dogs.

The fear we inspire can be used to our advantage. Researchers suggest playing human voices to protect crops.

The research was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.