The Walkind Dead - Zombies vs Animals

[godnodog]

If this is in the wrong section, please move it to the correct one.

"To enjoy zombie horror, you suspend disbelief and put aside some of science's rules. That said, if we assume zombies can't spread whatever is causing them to reanimate to other species, and that they are relatively slow moving—both true (so far! — Ed.) of Walking Dead zombies—there are more than enough wild animals out there to dispatch the undead.

That's because zombies are essentially walking carrion, and Mother Nature doesn't let anythinggo to waste.

Carrion is on the menu for a vast number of species, from tiny micro-organisms to the largest carnivores."

http://boingboing.net/2013/10/14/zombiesvsanimals.html

Enjoy.

[libstaK]

Perhaps whatever virus is within these zombies leaves a bad taste in carrion eating species - or the smell is not appealing, hmmm.

[rashore]

Very interesting article

[Rafterman]

If this is in the wrong section, please move it to the correct one.

"To enjoy zombie horror, you suspend disbelief and put aside some of science's rules. That said, if we assume zombies can't spread whatever is causing them to reanimate to other species, and that they are relatively slow moving—both true (so far! — Ed.) of Walking Dead zombies—there are more than enough wild animals out there to dispatch the undead.

That's because zombies are essentially walking carrion, and Mother Nature doesn't let anythinggo to waste.

Carrion is on the menu for a vast number of species, from tiny micro-organisms to the largest carnivores."

http://boingboing.ne...svsanimals.html

Enjoy.

I guess it all depends on the zombie mythology you are following at the time.

In some zombie-lore, there are animal zombies. Could you imagine being attacked by a warren of zombie rabbits?

Most common, however, is the notion that the zombie virus is deadly to all living things and animals sense this. Therefore the normal types of carrion eating animals stay away from them. This also holds for bacteria and insects which is why they don't decompose at normal rates.

[DecoNoir]

By default I go by the rules of the Zombie Survival Guide, which can be applied to most zombie media, Walking Dead included.

[rashore]

I would have to imagine even if critters left zombies alone, mother nature would have other means of breaking them down. Plants might go where critters won't. And there is just general weathering.

[Rafterman]

I would have to imagine even if critters left zombies alone, mother nature would have other means of breaking them down. Plants might go where critters won't. And there is just general weathering.

The Max Brooks consensus is that a zombie would last between 5-7 years before it is so degraded that it can't function.

[DecoNoir]

The Max Brooks consensus is that a zombie would last between 5-7 years before it is so degraded that it can't function.

Unless you live in Siberia, in that case: have fun with those zany Cossacks!

[buckskin scout]

I guess it all depends on the zombie mythology you are following at the time.

In some zombie-lore, there are animal zombies. Could you imagine being attacked by a warren of zombie rabbits?

But rabbits aren't carnivous, so would the world be overrun by a warren of Zabbits, that would deforest the Earth and would be impossible for some predators to stop?

Edited October 18, 2013 by GoSC

[godnodog]

But rabbits aren't carnivous, so would the world be overrun by a warren of Zabbits, that would deforest the Earth and would be impossible for some predators to stop?

Clearly you know nothing about rabbits....

[buckskin scout]

Clearly you know nothing about rabbits....

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Ah... I stand corrected. Thanks!

[MysticStrummer]

I would have to imagine even if critters left zombies alone, mother nature would have other means of breaking them down. Plants might go where critters won't. And there is just general weathering.

Except it is critters, microorganisms and larger, that do much of Mother Nature's work where decomposition is concerned, and many critters instinctively avoid tainted meat. As for the idea of zombie animals, the lore varies but I'm reading a book now where the zombie virus infects all mammals that exceed a certain body mass. Rabbits wouldn't make the grade unfortunately.

[Bavarian Raven]

Eitherway, bacteria and fungi alone would quickly break down the zombie bodies. Not to mention flies and maggots...

[MysticStrummer]

Eitherway, bacteria and fungi alone would quickly break down the zombie bodies. Not to mention flies and maggots...

Very true, unless those creatures instinctively avoid zombie flesh, which is what I meant to say above instead of "tainted meat". Like DecoNoir said, The Zombie Survival Guide is my default source for zombie info, and it says all those decomposition friendly creatures avoid the undead. if you watch The Truth Behind Zombies on Netflix, Max Brooks is called a "zombie expert" so there's that. He is the son of Mel Brooks after all...