These animals depend on humans more than you think, and without us, they wouldn’t make it.

It’s easy to assume that if humans suddenly disappeared, animals would thrive without us. But the truth isn’t that simple. While some species might flourish, others wouldn’t stand a chance. Decades of domestication, conservation programs, and habitat management have made certain animals heavily dependent on human intervention. If we were gone, many would struggle to find food, avoid predators, or even survive in their own environments.
Some of these animals have been bred into dependence, while others rely on protected habitats or anti-poaching laws to survive. Without human oversight, entire populations would collapse, and some species could disappear entirely. It’s a reminder of how interconnected we are with the animal kingdom—sometimes in ways we don’t even realize. Here are 15 animals that wouldn’t make it without us.