Tuesday, March 24, 2020

These wild animals also practice social distancing to avoid getting sick


Many people in countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic are struggling to avoid contact with others and stay at home.
But social distancing is not a novel concept in the natural world, where infectious diseases are commonplace. In fact, several social species will expel members within their own community if they are infected with a pathogen.
 It’s challenging because infectious individuals are not always “easy to see,” explains Joseph Kiesecker, a lead scientist at The Nature Conservancy.
 However, through specialized senses animals can detect certain diseases—sometimes before visible symptoms appear—and change their behavior to avoid getting ill.
 Honeybees and chimpanzees, for instance, can be ruthless when it comes to ousting the sick.
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