this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2023
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I mean, it's kind of inevitable. According to the stats on this page the total biomass of our livestock is 3.9% of all animal biomass, the total biomass of humans specifically is 2.3% of all animal biomass, and all wild mammals is only 0.3% of the biomass (with all wild birds accounting for a further 0.1%).
According to this article 38% of Earth's land area is used for agriculture. The remaining 62% is presumably generally among the less fertile sorts of land - mountains, deserts, etc.
It's not even a question of climate change. We've reduced the total volume of non-human-centric biomass on Earth, replacing much of it with a monoculture of our highly successful species and its domesticated associates. We've also spread around some hangers-on, like rats, that have filled a lot of niches that used to be occupied by more diverse local species. The remaining biomass simply cannot sustain as many species any more.
The only way to stop or reverse this trend would be to reduce the human population and increase its agricultural efficiency. Fortunately, that is possible. But only through continuing advancement of our technology and standard of living.
You have been banned from c/Conservative.
Well let's not get ahead of ourselves. Judging from the current state, the opposable thumb was wasted on us. Should've given it to the Capybaras.
You have to have some very particular and eccentric standards to judge humans as not being a successful species.