An apex predator, or top predator, is at the top of the food chain with no natural predators. They occupy the highest trophic levels and play a crucial role in ecosystems. Common examples include wolves and birds of prey, which prey on large herbivores and smaller animals, respectively. Apex predators have existed since the Cambrian period. Humans have historically interacted with them for hunting, and more recently through ecotourism and rewilding efforts, such as the reintroduction of the Eurasian lynx.
