Fear, fearlessness and animal extinction
Too much fear can be dangerous for species鈥� survival. In fact, fear alone, even in the absence of a live predator, can lead to species鈥� extinction if the population size is small enough suggests a recent study from 91社区 and Guelph universities. To read:聽鈥淗ow fear alone can cause animal extinction鈥�
But too little fear can be equally dangerous, especially for island species or in places where new and invasive species appear. In a second and complementary study, the same collaborators were able to demonstrate how populations could evolve rapidly to become bolder, even in the presence of predators, as they took increasing risks in search of food and mates. In the process, they potentially put themselves at risk of extinction. To read聽鈥淪cared fitless: the evolution of fearlessness鈥�
