Among these benefits are pest control, waste and carcass disposal, and nature tourism. A further research deficit was also found in the location of the extant studies, as the majority were conducted in the northern hemisphere, while carnivores also produce benefits and conflicts in the south.

If the herbivores and carnivores were removed, there would be changes to the biodiversity of the producers, but they would still survive. The food chain would be limited to these producers and decomposers, which break down dead organisms. The food chain would be intact, but would be mainly made of producers.

If all the carnivores are removed from the earth then the herbivores would increase in number as there would be nobody to feed on them and hence their population would increase tremendously.

From controlling other animals’ numbers to affecting carbon storage, the predators’ vital roles in ecosystems justify their conservation, scientists say. Across the world, top carnivores, they found, stabilize ecosystems, keeping environmental elements in balance and making sure no single creature hijacks the system.

Carnivores play an important role in many ecosystems, and by preying on herbivores, they ensure that plants and vegetation aren’t grazed into extinction.

The World’s Food Chain Plants and algae, which use energy from the sun to produce all their food, sit at the bottom of the food chain, with a trophic level of 1. That’s where humans rank, with a trophic level of 2.2. Above us are carnivores, such as foxes, that eat just herbivores.

10 – 12 years

12 – 20 years

American Pit Bull Terrier: 8 – 15 years

As a medium-sized dog, most Pitbulls reach an age of around 12 years old. Small dogs live up to 17 years in many cases, while some giant breeds like Mastiffs can already pass away at 8 years old. Researchers found out that this is due to the fact that large dogs age faster than smaller ones.

Bluey

The most common causes of death were musculoskeletal disorders and cancer. More generally, the most common disorders affecting Labrador retrievers were overweight/obesity, ear and joint conditions.

79 years

about 12 years

Bowhead whales can live for over 200 years. One particular bowhead was estimated to be 211. With a lifespan that can exceed 200 years, the bowhead whale is the longest-living marine mammal.

10 – 13 years

Small dogs are considered senior citizens of the canine community when they reach 11 years of age. Their medium sized friends become seniors at 10 years of age. Their larger sized colleagues are seniors at 8 years of age. And, finally, their giant-breed counterparts are seniors at 7 years old.

One study of over 3,000 British dogs that did analyze sex differences found that neutered female dogs were the longest-lived sex, intact females the shortest-lived, with males of either neutering status being intermediate in longevity (15).

There is no upper age limit. Male dogs can be neutered from around five to six months old although the exact age varies depending on their breed, so speak to your vet – but don’t leave it too late otherwise the benefits associated with neutering start to reduce. There is also no upper age limit.

On average, dogs that are spayed or neutered live longer than those whose goods remain intact, new research finds. The average age of death for dogs that had not been fixed was 7.9 years, they found, whereas those that had been spayed or neutered lived to 9.4 years.