糖心视频

Human persecution leads to anxiety and physiological stress among baboons. That's according to the findings of new research by the Durham University Department of Anthropology.

The study looked at how a group of baboons living in Alldays, South Africa, responded following two fatal shootings by humans.

in People and Nature, the findings showed prolonged increases in behavioral anxiety and physiological stress among the baboons. There were also long-term changes in behavior.

The authors believe this study is the first of its kind, giving unique insights into the impacts of human persecution on surviving baboons.

It was led by Dr. Mokhlesur Rahman as part of his Ph.D. research looking at the behavior of a group of chacma baboons who feed from a rubbish dump in Alldays, South Africa.

However, following two fatal shooting attacks on the baboons, Dr. Rahman expanded his research to look at the impacts of these on the surviving members of the group.

To do this Dr. Rahman monitored the feeding, ranging and behavior of the baboons. He also analyzed stool samples to see the physiological impacts.

After the shootings, the baboons significantly changed their ranging behaviors. They traveled faster and farther away from their sleeping site (where the shootings had taken place) before ultimately abandoning the site altogether.

The research team noticed increased levels self-scratching among the baboons, a well-documented indicator of anxiety.

Across the group there was also a reduction in aggression and a shift in grooming patterns following the shootings.

Stool samples showed elevated levels of the stress-related steroid hormone glucocorticoid (GC) after the shooting events. These levels remained raised for several weeks.

Meanwhile, the relationship between the baboons and the workers at the garbage dump remained largely unchanged. This suggests that the baboons could distinguish the dump's workers as being non-dangerous.

The study offers unique insight into the cost of human persecution of animals.

The research team argue that as human population expands and wildlife increasingly lives in closer proximity, insights such as this are vital to understand the potential impacts of human persecution.