Human hunters unwittingly shrink their prey species at incredible rates

Not Exactly Rocket Science
By Ed Yong
Jan 13, 2009 7:30 PMNov 5, 2019 2:14 AM

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As a species, our unflinching obsession with size is just as apparent in our dealings with other animals as it is in our personal lives. Fishermen prize the biggest catches and they're are obliged to throw the smallest specimens back in. Hunters also value the biggest kills; they provide the most food and make the flashiest trophies. This fixation isn't just a harmless one - by acting as a size-obsessed super-predator, humans are reshaping the bodies of the species we hunt, at a remarkable pace and to a dramatic degree.

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