By their mere presence, large carnivores forbid entire areas of land to herbivores. In these dangerous areas, thrive succulent acacias with small thorns that antelopes love. Paradoxically, the rarefaction of their predators is not necessarily good news for herbivores because, when they enter these formerly forbidden territories, a ruthless natural selection operates. Ultimately, only the thorniest and sharpest plants, on which they struggle to feed, survive. Thus, with the decrease of their predators, herbivores will consume in priority their favorite acacias and, ironically, allow the very thorny species they like less to colonize the savannah.