Researchers at Yellowstone National Park, in the United States, found that infection with Toxoplasma gondii affects the behavior of some animals. In short, this led scientists to the conclusion that this parasite, when it controls the minds of wolves, induces them to exhibit more aggressive behavior and also to assume the leadership position in their packs. Understand how.
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To arrive at this point, researchers spent three decades observing packs of wolves in Yellowstone, as pointed out in the article published in the journal Communications Biology. According to this material, wolves infected by the protozoan showed a greater propensity to assume risky behaviors.
As a result, infected wolves seemed more willing to abandon families to start new packs. That is, groups in which they are more likely to be seen as leaders. Furthermore, they developed more aggression and were more likely to get involved in fights with other packs.
Contamination also poses a risk, especially for females. They can have miscarriages and lose entire groups. Additionally, violence in these post-infection wolves can be a crucial factor in the extinction of entire packs, as infected leaders would put everyone at risk.
Other species can also be infected.
Research shows that Toxoplasma gondii can only reproduce sexually and complete its life cycle in felines, however, can organize themselves into any other warm-blooded host, wolves being an excellent example. from that. In this way, infected individuals, regardless of species, will suffer from testosterone increases and behavioral changes that will be radical.
For example: it was possible to notice that sick rats developed more courage and became less afraid of the presence of cats. In addition, the infected hyenas also became more aggressive and showed a greater propensity to fight with lions. These are just a few examples, as the same behavior can be seen in any infected animal.
In the case of Yellowstone wolves, contamination occurs mainly through contact between this species and cougars in the region. As we mentioned, the parasite will always reproduce in felines, so they are the main contaminants of others.
