Wolves emboldened by parasite more likely to lead pack: study - FRANCE 24 English

Paris (AFP) – Wolves infected with a common parasite are far more likely to become the leader of their pack, according to a new study, suggesting that the brain-dwelling intruder emboldens its host to take more risks.

The new study, published in the journal Communications Biology on Thursday, took advantage of 26 years' worth of data on grey wolves living in the Yellowstone National Park in the United States to investigate how the parasite could affect their behaviour.

The researchers from the Yellowstone Wolf Project analysed the blood samples of nearly 230 wolves and 62 cougars -- the big cats are known spreaders of the parasite.

They found that infected wolves were more likely to foray deeper into cougar territory than uninfected wolves.

Infected wolves were also 11 times more likely to leave their pack than wolves without the parasite, the study said, indicating a higher rate of risk-taking.

And an infected wolf is up to 46 times more likely to become pack leader, the researchers estimated, adding that the role is normally won by more aggressive animals.

"A wolf that is a born risk-taker may simply be more likely to venture into cougar territory and contract Toxoplasma," he said.