Animals Use Social Distancing to Avoid Disease

[Cattledog]

Yet despite how unnatural it may feel to us, social distancing is very much a part of the natural world. In addition to lobsters, animals as diverse as monkeys, fishes, insects and birds detect and distance themselves from sick members of their species.

This kind of behavior is common because it helps social animals survive. Although living in groups makes it easier for animals to capture prey, stay warm and avoid predators, it also leads to outbreaks of contagious diseases. (Just ask any human parent with a child in day care.)

This heightened risk has favored the evolution of behaviors that help animals avoid infection. Animals that social distance during an outbreak are the ones most likely to stay alive. That, in turn, increases their chances to produce offspring that also practice social distancing when confronted with disease. These actions are what disease ecologists such as ourselves term “behavioral immunity.” Wild animals do not have vaccines, but they can prevent disease by how they live and act.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/animals-use-social-distancing-to-avoid-disease1/

[BigmanPigman]

1. So now we can't say that all the anti-maskers

and those who ignore social distancing are "animals". Animals have the sense that they were born with.

[SheltieLover]

2. K&R!

[Delphinus]

3. Good article

Thanks for sharing.

[scipan]

4. So, are we as smart as a fish?

Or an insect?

[WyattKansas]

5. Except for the Republican Species that are bitter and want a culling.

Because they think they might have it a little better.

[Crunchy Frog]

6. They're smarter than we are.

It's a sad day when we come off looking stupid next to lobsters.