Herbivores, that is, those that live on grass, such as turtles and elephants, face a greater risk of extinction than predators (which feed on plant and animal foods), whether they are mammals, birds or reptiles, according to a recent study published in the journal Science Advances.
However, this trend is true regardless of the natural habitat of animals (deserts or forests, for example) and the breed (mammals, birds or reptiles), according to this analysis, which dealt with more than 24 thousand and 500 species of living or extinct animals.
The study authors, who belong to several university institutions, including the University of Utah and Imperial College London, indicated that predators are often seen as the most vulnerable because of the vast areas in which they are spread and the low rate of increase in their numbers, and because several studies have focused on specific types of These animals are facing real danger.
"We concluded that the level of animals in the food chain and size are important factors in determining the risk of extinction," the researchers said.
Lead author Trisha Atwood said, "There is so much data published that sometimes it's enough for someone to organize it."
The researchers' data dealt with animals from historical periods (11 thousand years ago) and other times (500 years ago) up to contemporary animals. The conclusions were similar.
Nearly a quarter of the herbivorous genera studied are currently facing extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification. 100% of the herbivorous reptiles face the same danger in marine environments.
Regarding the reason for the greatest threat to herbivores, researchers postulate the hypothesis that invasive species, whether they are rats, insects or plants, disproportionately affect herbivorous reptiles, compared to predators or calculus.
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