> The researchers looked at how infection in a wolf affected its decision to disperse and its assumption of leadership roles. Toxoplasmosis proved to be a strong predictor for both actions.

Toxoplasma gondii never ceases to amaze and scare me. I'm one of the many humans with an identified infection of it (over 25 years ago.)

Also super interesting part of this article:

> “We found that even more important than pack size was whether a pack had an old individual, male or female,” she said. At six years old, a Yellowstone wolf is considered an elder—only about one in five lives to that age. “If they have one or two older individuals, they are more likely to win—which was not what we’d expected to find.”