Discussion: Why Big Fierce Animals Are Rare: An Ecologist’s Perspective

Author: Paul Colinvaux

Description: Colinvaux’s book explains ecological principles through the puzzle of why large predators are relatively scarce. He argues that energy transfer through food chains limits their numbers: plants capture energy, herbivores consume it inefficiently, and carnivores rely on even smaller fractions. As a result, ecosystems can only support a few top predators. Colinvaux uses vivid examples—from lions to eagles to polar bears—to illustrate energy flow, population dynamics, and ecological niches. He also addresses competition, territoriality, and evolutionary strategies that shape ecosystems. The book serves as an accessible introduction to ecology, showing why scarcity of “big, fierce animals” is a predictable outcome of fundamental ecological laws rather than a mystery.

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