WWII effect on wildlife

GrauGeist · Mar 25, 2020

Something I've always wondered about and honestly never seen any publications regarding warfare's effect on wildlife in the various theaters, particularly WWII because it extended into a wide range of wilderness areas.

One of the reasons why I'm curious, is because as a child, I heard the recollection of my Uncle Fred's experience aboard his sub, the Grayling (SS-209) when they were cornered by an IJN destroyer who was delivering depth-charges perilously close when all of a sudden, it started following a noise, dropping depth-charges as it went. It turns out the Grayling's savior was a whale!

I always wondered what happened to that whale and this of course, leads me to the question of the war's impact on the wildlife.

Snautzer01 · Mar 25, 2020

Japanese sailors had to make an important decision. Sub or Sushi. Sushi it was.

michaelmaltby · Mar 26, 2020

I don't know if you can generalize about wildlife .... wolves, for example, seemed to thrive on the Eastern Front where bodies were plentiful ...

denoferth · Mar 26, 2020

Well, my dad, a recently out of work artillery spotter turned MP for the army of occupation got to harvest roe deer with a woefully inadequate M! carbine for the mess hall somewhere in Germany.

GrauGeist · Mar 26, 2020

michaelmaltby said:
I don't know if you can generalize about wildlife .... wolves, for example, seemed to thrive on the Eastern Front where bodies were plentiful ...

Same can be said of the Saltwater Crocs on Ramree island that annihilated retreating Japanese infantry that were crossing a mangrove swamp.

stug3 · Mar 29, 2020

denoferth said:
Well, my dad, a recently out of work artillery spotter turned MP for the army of occupation got to harvest roe deer with a woefully inadequate M! carbine for the mess hall somewhere in Germany.

He should have borrowed a Garand, I imagine they would be pretty good deer guns.

Capt. Vick · Mar 30, 2020

Have read that a particular type of bird native only to Wake Island was eaten to extinction by the starving Japanese garrison trapped there.

GrauGeist · Mar 30, 2020

Taking Wake Island wasn't one of the IJN's smartest moves - no fresh water supply, no food supply (save for fish and birds) and a difficult supply logistic.

But in regards to the birds, yes, that's what I am talking about. If the Japanese had not taken that island, would it be likely that the species of birds would still be in existence today?

jetcal1 · Mar 31, 2020

GrauGeist said:
Taking Wake Island wasn't one of the IJN's smartest moves - no fresh water supply, no food supply (save for fish and birds) and a difficult supply logistic.

But in regards to the birds, yes, that's what I am talking about. If the Japanese had not taken that island, would it be likely that the species of birds would still be in existence today?

Wake Island rail

WWII effect on wildlife

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