Carrion Crisis: There’s a Major Decline in Scavengers

Newswise — Each year, WCS scientists author or co-author nearly 300 peer-reviewed studies and papers. “WCS 3 Sentence Science” is a regular tip-sheet – in bite sized helpings – of some of this published work.

1. Many scavenger species are in a state of rapid decline and there is growing evidence these declines can drastically alter ecological food webs. 
2. Researchers looked at evidence supporting the increase in “mesoscavengers” – those less-efficient scavengers occupying mid-trophic levels – and increase in carrion in the face of declining apex scavengers. 
3. The authors further examine the ecological and human well-being implications of apex scavenger decline, including carrion removal and disease regulation services. 

Study and Journal:  "The mesoscavenger release hypothesis and implications for ecosystem and human well-being"   from  Ecology Letters 
WCS Co-Author(s):  James Watson , Director WCS Science and Research Initiative