Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge provides a lifetime refuge for predators and mesopredators, so we are very well versed in the abilities of the biggest cats like tigers and some of the smaller like bobcats. Unfortunately, throughout history, fearful humans have wiped out populations of predators all over the world. The effect this has on the ecosystem is terrible, as predators play a huge role in the general health of their habitat. Predators like tigers, bears, and servals make a huge difference in their environments and the different purposes they serve!
Tigers
The impact tigers can make on their territory is amazing. Unlike packs of canids, tigers are solitary, so there won’t be a large group of them in one area. Many people are aware tigers assist with general prey population management, but what does this really mean?
Ambush predators like tigers will hone in on the sickliest and weakest members of a herd. Finding the members of the herd that aren’t as healthy promotes better genetics for future generations! This can also manage overgrazing from herds, and prevent disease from spreading. In terms of controlling the populations of animals that eat the environment, tigers help us out a lot!
Another big impact they make, that is not too pretty to look at, is the food they leave behind for scavengers. Animals like foxes, raccoons, and other omnivores are able to pick off good meat from their leftovers and clean up the rest.
Bears
Bears similarly help with population control of prey species. For them, they can manage prey from rabbits to deer to salmon, and they can make a big difference with their big appetites! But something that sets them apart from cougars, is that bears are actually omnivores!
Omnivores consume both meat and vegetation – did you know that a bears diet is 80% vegetation in some ecosystems? With such a fast metabolism, they have to eat a lot of the foliage to stay big and healthy. So that means… they poop a lot! Bear poop helps spread seeds thanks to their diet, and this, of course, promotes a healthier ecosystem with more plant life!
Servals
As mesopredators, servals play a very important role in managing small mammal populations, while also keeping predator populations healthy and active in their chase for servals. Also, servals can assist with seed dispersal because they will occasionally munch on vegetation.
Servals mainly hunt small reptiles and mammals, and they are effective hunters, succeeding around 50% of the time – 20% more than tigers and lions! They hunt for 100% of their meals, as they can’t scavenge well with larger predators like hyenas, painted dogs, and leopards bullying them off meals.
Simultaneously, servals keep those predators in shape with their ability to give chase and evade. They are no easy meal, and they’ll make sure any predator knows that! This helps improve predator population health as well.
Despite their teeth and claws, it’s important to remember predators are an important piece in the general health of our planet. Without them, our ecosystems would fall apart – the animals they prey on would ultimately suffer, and we would as well. Protecting predators protects their habitats and our planet as a whole!
Sources
https://davidshepherd.org/news-events-insights/news/why-tigers-are-important-to-us-all/
https://www.lionstigersandbears.org/why-bears-should-remain-in-their-natural-environment/
https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/serval
*Published by Laynie Rodzon on 07/19/2025*