10 Ways War Harms Wildlife

Apr 11, 2022 | John R. Platt
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As war and conflicts rage on in Ukraine, Yemen, South Sudan, Libya and other places around the globe, it’s important to look at the long-term effects of military strife, which can destroy the environment as easily as it destroys lives.

In Gorongosa National Park, the disappearance of elephants and other large vegetation-eating species during the 1977-1992 Mozambican Civil War resulted in a 34% increase in tree cover, according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Ecology.

The military may aim at people and infrastructure, but other life gets in the way. Heavy metals like lead can stay in the environment long after a bullet has been fired or a bomb exploded. Other damage can come from what gets destroyed during war. Those explosions, fighter jets, tanks and other weapons of war don’t have to hit you to hurt you. Firearms, missiles and vehicles make a lot of noise. This constant cacophony can disrupt the patterns of wild animals, affecting sleep, migration and the ability to hear and track prey. 

Here are 10 of the most dangerous ways war affects the animals and plants around us — many of which also harm humans in the process.