Planet Earth is full of ecosystems that at the same time are composed of an infinity of animal and plant species that make possible their existence. Without those complements, ecosystems wouldn’t work as well as they should, for example, people can’t live without trees and plants as they allow us to breathe.
Like this example, there are many animals that humanity couldn’t live without, and some of them are actually hated by most people, here we are going to show you 10 of them.
10 - Vultures
via Vulture Conservation Org
Because of their scavenger nature, vultures are considered evil. They like to fly around waiting for prey to die and then eat it. They have really strong stomach acids to dissolve the raw and decaying meat that is the main course of their diet, the acids are often compared to battery acid.
However, this scavenger nature is what makes them contribute to the environment as when they do this, they are actually cleaning the ecosystems they live in, working as recycling carcasses. If they eat the deteriorated meat, they avoid the emission of CO2 that the putrefactive matter would make.
9 - Wasps
via ABC News
Wasps are known for being the opposite side of the tender yellow honey bees that everybody loves and protects. They are common to attack whenever they feel threatened because that’s their nature but their existence implies an important role in the environment.
These insects are predators in their miniature world, they hunt other little insects that could be potential plagues and dangerous for humans and other animals. Also, as their fellow bees, they are great pollinators that transfer big amounts of pollen by drinking the nectar of the flowers every year.
8 - Mosquitoes
We all hate being stung by a mosquito, not gonna lie, they are pretty hateful, but in fact, there are a lot of studies that affirm that they are really helpful around the world. They are an important part of the food chain of the animal kingdom, so they help the natural balance to keep going.
Regarding pollination, they are near-aquatic individuals that help to preserve plants in that kind of environment that at the same time works as a shelter for other little insects. Also, they have been used as a way to develop potential treatments against a lot of diseases in the world.
7 - Bats
via The Conversation
Bats or ‘flying rats’ as they are commonly called, carry a lot of diseases and viruses that are pretty lethal to humans, as we should know today. As long as they are not bothered, they don’t represent any harm to humans themselves.
They are one of the animals that help to keep the natural balance well, they eat different kinds of insects such as mosquitoes, and moths, maintaining their populations as normal amounts that wouldn’t affect humans. Bats even are pollinators, they have a huge role in the agave plant pollination which tequila is made from.
6 - Opossums
via The Laurel Of Asheville
These nocturnal marsupials, also called just possums, help to maintain pests away from gardens. Maybe you don’t like to see them in your backyard, but they are actually eating every creature that wouldn’t be so positive for the plants, this also means they lower the possibilities of having a poisonous species near you.
Possums are far from being aggressive, they are more likely to be playful, so if they are scared by something or someone they will just go away.
5 - Coyotes
via Excelsior California
Coyotes are from the same family as dogs, wolves, and foxes and they enjoy living in really open spaces where they can run alone and free in the wild. While one of the main meals in their diet is garbage, coyotes are native hunters so they maintain the rodent population low enough to humans.
The rodents they eat are full of diseases that could be harmful to humans and this hunt prevents many food farms from being contaminated with those viruses. But don’t get fooled, though they help to boost biodiversity, they can be a threat to pets, especially little ones.
4 - Racoons
via The Conversation
This is one of the most hated wild animals in the US, raccoons are even considered a plague but in reality, they imply a big help to the environment. Like possums, they like to get in people’s houses and steal stuff, but with this trespassing, they lower the population of any harmful creatures.
They eat pests like larvae and their nests, along with small rodents. Raccoons aren’t picky when it comes to their food, they will eat pretty much everything they can get their little hands-on, which leads them to carry several diseases that could threaten humans and pets.
3 - Spiders
via Wikipedia
Arachnophobia is a common phobia across the world. There is an infinity of spider species, while some of them are harmless, there are a lot of them that are full of lethal venom. As they are hunters, they enjoy catching insects like moths, flies, mosquitoes, and more in their webs to then eat them.
They can even hunt cockroaches if they are big enough to. While eating several pests, they help to lower the spreading of diseases and as long as they do not feel threatened, they won’t attack humans. Also, some of their venoms have medical properties that have been used as treatments.
2 - Snakes
via Natural History Museum of Utah
No matter if you like snakes, there are a lot of people that really hate and fear them. Snakes also help to control the rodent population and they are a big part of biodiversity. There are hundreds of snake species in the world and all of them contribute to the environment in their own way.
Without them, there would be an unnatural increase of many preys in the world, that would be impossible for humans to manage. These long reptiles sure have a big role in their ecosystems even though they are often feared.
1 - Cockroaches
via Addison Pest Control Of Texas
Of course, this list had to have cockroaches as number one. This insect is a natural survivor that has existed on this planet for many centuries. There is a belief that roaches are indestructible since they can live through extreme conditions. They are one of the main foods of a lot of animals, and they release nitrogen in their feces, which is very helpful to soil and plants and they can transport pollen when they crawl across them.
Cockroaches are full of antibiotics that are still a mystery to science and there is a lot of research to turn them into human applications, along with their collagen-filled body structures. Though, all of those benefits can’t hide the fact that they are full of diseases and bacteria that spread along their way.
It is funny how these usually unpleasant creatures have such important roles in the world. No matter how little they are, they still are a big part of the right function of nature, without them, there wouldn’t be a balance in a lot of situations, so next time you see a mosquito or a cockroach remember their important part in the world before they gross you out and you kill them.