Fear of humans makes us all from being eaten by powerful predators. Of course, not quite with big predators, like lions, tigers and bears (oh my!), but most small predators rather not deal with us humans if they dont need to.
New single-cell parasite leads to fearlessness and alpha dominance in the humans for lifespan.
Recent study shows fearlessness parasite can have much more serious impact on smaller animals as they think they can take on larger animals alongside similar problems with these creatures.
The authors of the study noted a significant increase in dispersal and becoming a pack leader, both risks. This means parasite-infected hyenas lose their hope of lions, monkeys miss power of natural enemy, leopard, and mice attack common house cats. Infected animal challenges age-old pack dominance and acceptance of that dominance in the pack also. And when a pack loses its structure, it falls apart, threatening all members of that pack’s life.
Toxoplasma gondii found in study of 200 gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park. The wolves become infected after eating the feces of infected mountain lions.
Toxoplasma gondii is the worst infection for most people because they have no symptoms.
RBC (@Pathology_747) December 19, 2022
But perhaps even more scarier than a feeling animals head up against us Planet-of-the-Apes style is the fact that this parasite can also affect humans. 3U.S. population already infected, says 33%.
Theres very few illnesses on humans, especially in the cold; the parasite can only reproduce in dogs, so it can just reproduce in mammals, but thats not to say there arent problems. T. gondii can still lead to increased testosterone, wild behavioral changes in humans.
This study demonstrates how community-level interactions can affect individual behaviour, potentially slash group-level decisions – study. Il importe, in future wildlife study, to examine the impacts of parasites on individuals, groups, populations and ecosystems.
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