The Terrifying Power of Human Voices in the African Savannah

In a study conducted in South Africa's Greater Kruger National Park, researchers found that mammals in the African savannah are more afraid of human vocalizations than the sounds of lions or hunting. The fear of humans is deeply ingrained in these animals, causing them to abandon waterholes when they hear human conversations. This fear poses a threat to the already dwindling populations of many savannah species. However, conservation biologists hope to use this knowledge to protect endangered species by playing human conversations in areas with known poaching activities.