The Walking Dead: How long until the Walkers go away?

Nick Clark with walkers - Fear The Walking Dead, AMC
Nick Clark with walkers - Fear The Walking Dead, AMC /
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Now that we know that humans will last 100 days in a zombie apocalypse, how long can we expect to see zombies walking around?

Recently a group of scientists used real science to speculate how long humans would last in a worldwide zombie outbreak. The news was sobering. Humans would last about 100 days when you account for a rapidly spreading virus that would convert infected humans and recently dead bodies (head intact) into zombies. But how long will the zombies last?

We’re seven seasons into The Walking Dead but about two years have passed in the timeline from the start of the outbreak up until Negan’s arrival. At this point, most communities have learned how to prevent new Walkers from being created, so the supply of fresh zombies is starting to wear down. Many Walkers are killed as they are discovered, while others have become trapped in places like lakes and fenced –in areas. With that in mind, when can we expect to see the number of Walkers diminish?

Related Story: Scientist's claim a zombie takeover will take 100 days

Note that I’m saying “when” the number of Walkers diminishes instead of “if” it does. The same science that predicted the astonishing growth rate for zombies can certainly apply to their demise. With Walkers, it’s a matter of supply and demand. If measures are taken when a person dies, that person won’t become a Walker. Walkers that are found should be killed. If those two things happen, eventually no new Walkers will be created, outside of accidental deaths.

Based upon all of this, it stands to reason that Walkers will eventually fade away, with the occasional Walker seen every now and then. Large herds won’t exist and outbreaks will be able to be contained. Over time, the absence of a continual threat from Walkers should allow people to settle into communities and for normal life to resume. We’re not quite at that point in The Walking Dead universe yet but the day will come when the Walkers won’t be. (See what I did there?)

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We’re not there yet, but science suggests that the day is coming.