Do not feed the wildlife: associations between garbage use, aggression, and disease in banded mongooses (Mungos
Bonnie Fairbanks Flint1, Dana M Hawley1, Kathleen A Alexander2
1Department of Biological Sciences Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia.
Abstract:
Urbanization and other human modifications of the landscape may indirectly affect disease dynamics by altering host behavior in ways that influence pathogen transmission. Few opportunities arise to investigate behaviorally mediated effects of human habitat modification in natural host-pathogen systems, but we provide a potential example of this phenomenon in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo), a social mammal. Our banded mongoose study population in Botswana is endemically infected with a novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex pathogen, M. mungi, that primarily invades the mongoose host through the nasal planum and breaks in the skin. In this system, several study troops have access to human garbage sites and other modified landscapes for foraging. Banded mongooses in our study site (N = 4 troops, ~130 individuals) had significantly higher within-troop aggression levels when foraging in garbage compared to other foraging habitats. Second, monthly rates of aggression were a significant predictor of monthly number of injuries in troops. Finally, injured individuals had a 75% incidence of clinical tuberculosis (TB) compared to a 0% incidence in visibly uninjured mongooses during the study period. Our data suggest that mongoose troops that forage in garbage may be at greater risk of acquiring TB by incurring injuries that may allow for pathogen invasion. Our study suggests the need to consider the indirect effects of garbage on behavior and wildlife health when developing waste management approaches in human-modified areas.
Insights
Human garbage sites increase aggression and injuries in banded mongooses, raising their risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection. Waste management strategies must consider wildlife health impacts.
Area of Science:
- Wildlife ecology
- Disease ecology
- Behavioral ecology
Background:
- Human landscape modifications can alter wildlife behavior, influencing disease transmission.
- Banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) are social mammals susceptible to a novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex pathogen, M. mungi.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the behaviorally mediated effects of human habitat modification on disease dynamics in banded mongooses.
- To assess the link between foraging in human garbage sites, mongoose behavior, injuries, and tuberculosis (TB) risk.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of 4 banded mongoose troops (~130 individuals) in Botswana.
- Quantified troop aggression levels during foraging in garbage sites versus other habitats.
- Correlated monthly aggression rates with monthly injury numbers and TB incidence in injured vs. uninjured individuals.
Main Results:
- Banded mongooses exhibited significantly higher within-troop aggression when foraging in garbage sites.
- Monthly aggression rates were a significant predictor of monthly injuries within troops.
- Injured mongooses had a 75% incidence of clinical TB, compared to 0% in uninjured individuals.
Conclusions:
- Foraging in human garbage sites increases aggression and injuries in banded mongooses, potentially facilitating M. mungi pathogen invasion.
- Human waste management practices need to account for indirect impacts on wildlife behavior and disease risk.
- This study highlights the indirect effects of habitat modification on wildlife health and disease ecology.
