GEO 210 Lecture 8 PDF

Week 8: Dangerous Animals November 14, 2024 Making Animals into Villains The fictional portrayal of animals is based on their physical appearance and media presence, which provides a false perception of them Study says the world’s most vilified...

Week 8: Dangerous Animals November 14, 2024 Making Animals into Villains The fictional portrayal of animals is based on their physical appearance and media presence, which provides a false perception of them Study says the world’s most vilified and dangerous animals may be humankind’s best ally Native predators (animal that lives by killing/eating other animals) like leopards, bats, vultures provide critical services like disease regulation, agricultural productivity and waste disposal Bats save corn framers from crop pests in places like Indonesia and etc Vultures save millions in livestock The recolonization of cougars in the US is projected to reduce deer-vehicle collisions The decline of red foxes is linked to Lyme disease Ten Most Dangerous Animals in the World The most dangerous animal in the world are humans because we have the capacity to destroy each other and the entire planet Mosquito, Tsetse Fly, Saltwater Crocodile, Black Mamba comes following after the humans Shark Attacks The deadliest regions for shark attacks is Continental USA Sharks are started to get endangered form the Pacific ocean since 1990s Humans are causing the white whales to become endangered through overfishing, and collisions with shipping vessels Pit Bulls Attacks in U.S (2018) In the US pit bull type of dogs and rottweilers were involved in half of 238 dog attacks deaths from 1990-2007 Fatal dog attacks in Canada Winnipeg was the first major jurisdiction to ban pit bulls (terrier)-type dogs Ontario adopted a province wide ban on pit bulls in 2005 Edmonton required vicious dogs to be muzzled in public and pitbull types considered automatically viscous Government-backed Wolf Extermination Program Full- scale eradication programs did not peak in western and northern canada until 1950s Due to wolf boundaries set by the government it led to wolf extinctions Wolf extinction in parts of U.S. and Reintroduction Efforts Last wolves were killed dn Yellowstone in 1926 Grey wolves from jasper national park in alberta were reintroduced in Yellowstone National Park  As the world population increases it lead to elk, coyotes declining and beavers and prey of coyotes increasing Trophic Cascade A trophic cascade happens when adding or removing a top predator causes a chain reaction in the food chain. This affects the populations of other animals and plants in the ecosystem, often leading to big changes in how the ecosystem works and how nutrients move through it. Keystone Species A plant or animal that is essential for ecosystem balance. WIthout it the ecosystem will drastically fall apart. Ex: elephants Fear of Bats Chiroptophobia - fear of bats A very specific phobia and comes from negative stereotypes and misinformation Bats are generally shy and don't show aggression unless they are handled and feel threatened Bats carry bacteria and viruses but the risk of infection is low for humans Vampire Bats Food source is blood and dietary trait called hematophagy They feed on blood form cows, pigs, horses They live in Mexico and Central and South America Can spread rabies Fear of Spiders Arachnophobia- fear of spiders and other arachnids like scorpions and ticks Linked to evolutionary response because poisonous spiders have been linked to disease Out of 40,000 species of spiders, only a few are dangerous. Most spiders are harmless but there are ones that bite rarely that can cause injuries Most Dangerous spiders found in Canada Brown recluse spider Yellow sac spider Black widow spider Wolf spider Brown Recluse Spiders Smaller spider that can pack a particularly potent bite Venom is necrotic (small amounts of tissue neat bite mark die) leaving painful sore Shy, secretive and bites are rare because they usually stay in dark undisturbed placed Yellow Sac Spider Native to California, Mexico and parts of Central America Often ends up in Canada through shipments of grapes because they can hide in bunches Bite is not as painful, but causes swelling and muscle pain Black Widow Spider They have shiny, black, round body and two reddish triangles on abdomen Arrive in Canada on grape shipments but some varieties are native to Southern parts of Canada Black widows won't bite unless threatened Individuals who are bitten don't develop symptoms unless they release venom causing mild muscle pain and is fatal in rare circumstances Wolf Spider Native to canada Look frightening but is harmless They run prey down on the ground They only bite when threatened and venom causes mild redness or swelling **Yellow Sac and Black Widow spiders typically arrive to Canada on grape shipments** Scorpions Scorpions are often misunderstood and feared because they can inject venom They are not as dangerous as people may believe because they don't actively try to sting humans, generally shy and not aggressive and most stings occur due to stepping on one or reaching into their hiding spots Out of 1500 scorpion species around the world, only 25 are equipped with venom strong enough to be deadly to humans Scorpions in U.S Arizona Bark Scorpion found in Southwestern United States possess venom that is toxic and can cause human fatalities Scorpions in Canada The Northern Scorpion is the only species that occurs in Canada, in Southern Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia Its unique quality is that it’s body glows under UV light turning its entire body into a basic eye Fear of Snakes Ophidiophobia - fear of snakes Researchers believe phobias related to reptiles may be evolutionary and developed by our ancestors as survival mechanism Snakebite envenoming is a potentially life-threatening disease that typically results from the injection of a mixture of different toxins (“venom”) following the bite of a venomous snake. Benefits of Snake Venom (medical uses) Diabetes treatment: peptides from Gila monster/some rattlesnakes are used in Drug Byetta Blood clotting: Hemotoxic venom from Bathrop snakes treat clotting issues during surgery Pain relief: Neurotoxins from cobras, kraits, and mambas act as painkillers by blocking pain receptors King Cobra Produces neurotoxins that is strong enough to kill an elephant in one bite Longest venomous snake in the world Shy and retreating but aggressive if proved King Cobra Range- South Asia and SouthEast Asia Black-necked Spitting Cobra Range- Africa Indian Cobra Range- South Asia One of the four biggest snakes in South Asia that is responsible for majority of human deaths in Asia Boa Constrictor Found in Mexico and South America Doesn’t kill humans and are popular in exotic pet trade, being captured in both wild and bred in captivity They are often harvested for their meat and skins, commonly sold in markets and used to make snakeskin products like shoes and bags. Snakes play a vital role in controlling opossum and rodent populations and are sometimes released into communities for pest control. Snakes in Canada There are four types of venomous snakes in Canada. Alberta, Saskatchewan, BC and Ontario all have venomous snakes living within their borders Eastern Massasauga Rattle Snake The Eastern Massasauga Rattle Snake is only venomous snake in Ontario Yellow Belly Snake Most widely distributed snakes in the world and highly potent Used surface currents and storms to move around the ocean Beaked Sea Snake One of the most dangerous/aggressive snakes They have short fangs that are unable to bite through diver’s suits very easily