Wildebeest and wolves: The secret weapons against climate change

Wildebeest and wolves: The secret weapons against climate change Getty Images The huge number of mouths and hooves in wildebeest herds can help to keep vegetation under control that would otherwise fuel wildfires When scientists examined the effect just nine groups of animals have on the climate the results were startling. Getty Images Wolves can have a surprising impact on the amount of carbon stored in the boreal forests of North America Schmitz is one of a group of researchers using wildebeest as an example to argue that animal rewilding could be an important solution in tackling climate change. Grey wolves in boreal forests have the potential to remove carbon from the atmosphere equivalent to the emissions of between 33-71 million cars per year Like sharks, whales do a lot through their poo. Schmitz and his colleagues estimate that grey wolves in the boreal forests have the potential to remove carbon from the atmosphere equivalent to the emissions of between 33-71 million cars per year. In the Arctic, Musk oxen are a favoured prey of wolves, yet these large herbivores have a "huge influence" in tackling climate change by protecting the frozen soil, says Schmitz.