An analysis of the blood samples of 229 wolves and 26 years worth of behavioral data on wolves has revealed that the parasite is responsible for the infection. Toxoplasma goniiWolf pack leaders are 46 times more likely than they were before.
The research shows that the effects of this parasite in the wild have been horrendously understudied – and its role in ecosystems and animal behavior underestimated.
You’ve likely heard of this parasite if you own a cat. Although the microscopic organism is restricted to cats, it can also infect other warm-blooded animals.
It can also affect humans. Potentially fatalA parasitic disease known as Toxoplasmosis.
Once it is in another host, the individual can take care of it. T. gondiiParasites need to find a way for their offspring to be brought back into a cat’s body if they don’t want to die an evolutionary death-end. It has a creepy way to maximize its chances.
Animals such as RatsParasite-infected animals are more at risk and, in some cases, more attracted to the smell of feline urine. This makes them more likely to be killed.
For larger animals, consider the following: chimpanzeesIt increases the risk of an encounter with a larger cat like a leopard. Hyenas infected T. gondiiThey are also more likely to be Lions killed.
Gray wolves (Canis lupusThey are not cat prey in Yellowstone National Park. Sometimes their territory overlaps with cougars (Puma concolor), known carriers of T. gondiiBoth species prey on the elk (Cervus canadensis), bison (Bison bison), and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionusYou can also find a number of other items there.
It is possible that wolves can also get infected from eating dead or unclean cougars or ingestion of cougar urine.
The rare opportunity to study the effects on wild animals of the parasite was presented by data collected over nearly 27 years on the behavior and behavior of wolves. Intermediate host.
The research team was led by Connor Meyer and Kira Cassidy from the Yellowstone Wolf Project. They also looked at blood samples taken from wolves, cougars, and cougars in order to determine the rate of growth. T. gondii infection.
The researchers found that wolves who had a lot of territory overlapped with cougars were less likely to get infected. T. gondii.
However, there was also a behavioral consequence with significantly higher risk-taking.
Infected wolves had a 11-fold higher chance of dispersing from their pack and moving into new territory. A 50 percent chance of infected males leaving their pack within six month, compared to a typical 21 month period for the uninfected.
Infected females also had a 25 percent chance of being out of their pack in 30 months. This compares to 48 months for those not infected.
Infected wolves were also more likely to be pack leaders. T. gondiiIncreased testosterone could lead to increased aggression and dominance. These traits are important for wolves in order to be able to assert themselves as pack leaders.
This has two important consequences. These are the pack leaders, who are responsible for reproducing. T. gondiiTransmission can also be congenital and pass from mother to child. However, it can also have a negative impact on the dynamics of the entire family.
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“Due the group-living structure in the gray wolf pack the pack leaders have an disproportionate influence over their pack mates as well as on group decisions.” Researchers write in their paper.
“If the lead wolves become infected with T. gondii and show behavioral changes … this may create a dynamic whereby behavior, triggered by the parasite in one wolf, influences the rest of the wolves in the pack.”
For example, a leader of the pack seeks out The scent of cougarpee As they push forward into new territory, They may be exposed to the parasite at a higher level, which could lead to a higher incidence of infections. T. gondiiThe wolf population is at risk of becoming infected. This results in a feedback loop that increases overlap and causes more infection.
This is a compelling example of how small, unstudied agents can have a significant impact on ecosystem dynamics.
“This study shows how community-level interactions affect individual behavior and could potentially scale-up to group-level decisions-making, population ecology, and community ecology,” said the researchers. Write.
“It is crucial to include the implications parasite infections in future wildlife research to understand the impacts of parasites upon individuals, groups, population, and ecosystem processes.”
The research was published in Biology Communications.
