Wolves: what is the factor that defines the leader of the pack

The pack leader is bound by his temperament, the grumpy boss who carries the group and the controller, however these characteristics are false especially for the wolves who rule; humility, wisdom and intelligence are the ideal characteristics to be an “alpha male”.

With all of these types of factors, you’d think choosing a pack leader would come naturally because of background within the pack or some high-value action, however. it could all be a parasite that makes a wolf the real “spearhead”.

Connor J. Meye, Kira A. Cassidy, Erin E. Stahler and their colleagues discovered that the parasite Toxoplasma gondii He is responsible for a living being taking more risky actions in his environment, a reason that in this case would lead a wolf to become a leader.

In his article “A parasitic infection increases risk taking in a carnivorous social intermediate host” published in the scientific journal Communications Biologyscientists have revealed that species infected with this parasite have a higher probability of leading the pack.

“HIV-positive wolves were more likely to make high-risk decisions, such as dispersing and becoming pack leaders, both critical factors for individual wolf fitness and vital rates,” the team members also clarified. . Yellowstone National Park Wolf Projectfollowing the analysis of serological, spatial and behavioral data of the last 26 years.

This protozoan parasite was first discovered in 1908, however, the medical importance of this agent was in the middle of the 20th century, after verifying that it was a common parasite in warm-blooded animalstold the scientist Jitender P. Dubey in his article “The story of Toxoplasma gondii – The first 100 years” published in the scientific journal The Eukaryote Journal Microbiology.

Humans, birds, otters and wolves are among the animals that can be infected by this bacterium, its transmission is through the consumption of feline feces or the ingestion of another intermediate host, that is to say one of the species mentioned above infected with T. gondii.

Infection also occurs through the ingestion of particles released into the environment, either through water or vegetation, after consumption and over time cysts form in the brain and muscle tissues, which process is known as toxoplasmosis.

“Experimental studies have shown that chronic infections, even in healthy people, can lead to increased production of dopamine and testosterone,” says Connor J. Meyer, one of the study’s authors. This situation could mean more aggressive, hyperactive and risky actions.

Project members in Yellowstone Park verified that wolves that lived near areas where mountain lions were found were more likely to be infected and show changes in their behavior.

Similarly, they appreciated that infected wolves tend to move away from the pack, which signifies strange behavior since this species usually travels in groups for security reasons; however, they considered withdrawing for brief moments from “the team” to be a natural action from the protozoan.

guests of T. Gondii are 46 times more likely to become pack leader; and as in other studies carried out on chimpanzees and hyenas, it has been shown that HIV-positive species tend to change their attitude, which allows them to become an image to follow in their groups.

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