Apex Predator Rankings

[satimy]

What species of spec predators do you rank the highest?

For me it’s

1. Humans

Smartest creatures, capable of mass destruction
2. Grey Wolves
Obviously only applies to them in packs, very smart very deadly
3. Hippos
I’ve seen hippos kill an entire pack of lions, I don’t know who could kill them other than humans
4. Tigers
Probably the scariest animal in terms of raw strength
5. Gorilla
Maybe my planet oft the apes fetish rubbing off but they scare the shit out of me. They are also super intelligent

[Crissi]

Humans are at the top when we've got all our tools / are prepped. Drop a random human in the wilderness with very little, and its a tie between humans / whatever apex predator is in the area (bears / wolves / tigers / etc).

Hell, even WITH tools, stuff happens. Like the poacher that got eaten alive by lions recently.

Although the minute we start swimming, its sharks. We are so out of our element that sharks can overcome even stuff like spears.

[ParanoiD84]

Humans with weapons that is, not much without them against apex predators.

[Super Kami Dende]

Humans are the Apex Predator of Land-based Earth. Since we can adapt to any environment on Land and become the prime species.

Water is a different Story and Oceans are fucking horrifying.

[pyrogfx]

Guns/tools are simply a product of a human trait (intelligence, tool handling, ingenuity, whatever you wanna call it)

To disallow tools in such a comparison, would be the same as denying other animals their defining and stronger traits, be it muscles, teeth or claws.

[satimy]

Humans with weapons that is, not much without them against apex predators.

Humans are the only apex predators that are smart enough to use weapons

[Techno-Druid]

Humans are at the top when we've got all our tools / are prepped. Drop a random human in the wilderness with very little, and its a tie between humans / whatever apex predator is in the area (bears / wolves / tigers / etc).

Hell, even WITH tools, stuff happens. Like the poacher that got eaten alive by lions recently.

Although the minute we start swimming, its sharks. We are so out of our element that sharks can overcome even stuff like spears.

While sharks are widespread, cetaceans—dolphins and whales—rule the seas.

[EyelessCrow]

Humans are the Apex Predator of Land-based Earth. Since we can adapt to any environment on Land and become the prime species.

Water is a different Story and Oceans are fucking horrifying.

I play Subnautica with music blaring so I don't hear the sounds of everything that's in the darkness 6 feet in front of me that I can't see that wants to eat me.

Blissful ignorance

[Techno-Druid]

Humans are the only apex predators that are smart enough to use weapons

Chimpanzees in West Africa use 'spears' to hunt bush babies and monkeys.

[zorkuus]

Humans are the only apex predators that are smart enough to use weapons

It's more than just smarts. You can't really build and/or use weapons to begin with if you don't have hands (opposable thumbs to be more specific).

[Crissi]

While sharks are widespread, cetaceans—dolphins and whales—rule the seas.

Sure, although I haven't heard of any dolphin attacks on humans (might not be paying attention though).

I'll give you orcas though. This was just a comparison as to what happens when Alpha pred humans hit the water. Much more likely to be killed by a shark because they are far more adaptive and far more likely to attack humans (even if it is mostly a case of mistaken identity).

[Ripster42]

One of the animals on the OP's list isn't a predator. Another, only eats small insects, hardly "apex predator."

[satimy]

Sure, although I haven't heard of any dolphin attacks on humans (might not be paying attention though).

I'll give you orcas though. This was just a comparison as to what happens when Alpha pred humans hit the water. Much more likely to be killed by a shark because they are far more adaptive and far more likely to attack humans (even if it is mostly a case of mistaken identity).

Dolphins have been known to rape humans

[Crissi]

Dolphins have been known to rape humans

... that wouldnt surprise me, since they rape each other.

[zorkuus]

Dolphins have been known to rape humans

i don't know if you can call humping your torso a rape.

[Wyrt]

Hippos aren't predators though.

[Ripster42]

Hippos aren't predators though.

And gorillas barely are. Bugs basically.

- - - Updated - - -

Bears have been shown to use tools. Not a weapon, but still... Also, someone mentioned chimps using spears, but I’m unsure if they’re listed as Apex Predators.

They are not apex predators, no.

[Fat Mac]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_hunting


this is something interesting only a few species, including humans, can do

[Techno-Druid]

Bears have been shown to use tools. Not a weapon, but still... Also, someone mentioned chimps using spears, but I’m unsure if they’re listed as Apex Predators.

They're not apex predators, but they're definitely imposing. The most fucked up thing about chimpanzees hunting is that there's no evidence that it's even a dietary necessity. Male chimpanzees will hunt so that they exchange it for sex with females.

[Endus]

Humans are at the top when we've got all our tools / are prepped. Drop a random human in the wilderness with very little, and its a tie between humans / whatever apex predator is in the area (bears / wolves / tigers / etc).

Hell, even WITH tools, stuff happens. Like the poacher that got eaten alive by lions recently.

Although the minute we start swimming, its sharks. We are so out of our element that sharks can overcome even stuff like spears.

I feel this is unfair to Humans. Even ignoring advanced technologies, just going by stone tools, we were driving species like Cave Bears/Lions to extinction to remove competition/for fun. We were hunting mammoth and other megafauna. We were fishing out sharks and whales.

"Apex predator" doesn't mean you CAN'T get killed by a lesser predator, but we were the clear victors in that primordial competition. And that's turned out to be true in basically every major biome other than deep waters.