how are other apex predators (non human) kept in check, population-wise?
In: Biology
They’re kept in check by natural birth numbers and survival rates. Think a polar bear. It has 1 or 2 cubs. A 3rd would surely die. Tiger cubs are similar.
Kill percentage is generally low. They need to hunt a lot, and are not always are successful. Offspring can die easily. [Here’s](https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/hunting-success-rates-how-predators-compare/) a list of high percentage kill rate predators.
Then compare that to prey, say, rabbits. Litters of many, regular litters, and plentiful food.
In some cases, these populations are kept in check by seasonal hunting. For example in Sweden there is A LOT of moose. Every years I think it was 80 000 are killed by licensed hunters. If this isn’t done they eat EVERYTHING in the forest, and many other animals have a hard time finding food, and will die. The moose isn’t really an apex predator, but it had a tremendous impact on its environment,and therefore must be kept in check. Also, they like to wander out on highways, so we have to keep motorists safe as well. Hitting a moose on a highway in anything less than an suv is almost guaranteed to kill you.
>how are other apex predators (non human) kept in check, population-wise?
There usually isn’t much “keeping in check” going on these days, most other apex predators are highly limited by their habitats and food supplies. They can’t migrate past the habitat to which they’re adapted and they can’t multiply past the limited food supply available to them – no human intervention needed.
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