Meerkats are native to the Kalahari Desert, across several nations in Africa. Tuberculosis is endemic to the species, and only occasionally does an outbreak make a population ill. But that's been changing. As annual temperatures rise in the desert, TB outbreaks in meerkat colonies are on the rise. Scientific American's 60-Second Science explains the ways that higher temperatures can contribute to disease.
First, the heat puts stress on the meerkats, who have to spend more time hiding from the heat instead of finding food. They may be suffering from drought and famine as temperatures go higher. A second factor is that meerkat colonies under pressure are more likely to disperse. Males in particular normally disperse to find mates in other colonies, and with deaths in the population, they are more likely to wander off and bring tuberculosis to a new colony. Read more about the rising prevalence of TB in meerkats and how climate change is contributing to outbreaks. -via Digg
(Image credit: safaritravelplus)
#meerkat #tuberculosis #climatechange
