Is It a Bug, or Is It Grief?

            There are many mechanisms that come into play when an animal becomes stressed. Just like a human, a dog’s sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear. It releases all sorts of hormones, and neurotransmitters. Wolf populations’ stressors have yet to be examined by the scientific community. A study was published in PubMed and PLOS one journals that looked at the free-range wild wolf packs in France, Italy, and the United States. A pack was defined as at least one male and one female traveling together. All of the locations chosen were at the same latitude, similar climates, and environments.

            The wolves were tested for stress levels and the circumstances surrounding any peaks in their stress. Fecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentrations were examined. These concentrations would be the standard index as to whether or not the animal was stressed. This is also a safer option for the researchers, since working with wolves is dangerous in the first place. Fecal samples are far easier to obtain than blood.

            The researchers discovered that the wolves had increased FCM when a member or members of the pack died, and when the wolves were infected with intestinal parasites. There were no correlations between sex, age, or social status among the wolves. The common correlations were between elevated stress levels and parasites, and stress levels and loss of a pack member. Wolves are highly social animals. They form bonds with the members of their pack. If one is lost that they mated with or was just an important part of their hunting life, then the wolves displayed higher levels of FCM.

            This study shows that whether a social creature is human or a wild animal, that a loss in the tight-knit community can put stress on the group dynamic. This stress can be comparable to an intestinal sickness.

References: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4580640/