Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Preveč poguma lahko škodi
Too much courage can hurt
Written by Dora Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
Pogum je pogosto zaželena vrlina, a vseeno ne smemo pozabiti na previdnost. Ob neprevidnem vedenju se namreč lahko hitro znajdemo v nevarnosti.
Courage is often a desirable virtue, but we must not forget caution. With careless behaviour, we can quickly find ourselves in danger.
Živali so denimo v bližini plenilcev pogosto previdnejše, saj jim takšno obnašanje poveča verjetnost za preživetje.
Animals, for example, are often more careful near predators, as such behaviour increases their likelihood of survival.
Zaznavanje nevarnosti pa se lahko spremeni zaradi utrujenosti, lakote, strupov in zajedavcev.
However, perceptions of danger can change due to fatigue, hunger, toxins and parasites.
Takšen zajedavec je denimo Toxoplasma gondii, ki povzroča bolezen toksoplazmozo. Pogosta je pri domačih mačkah in lahko se prenese na človeka.
Such a parasite is, for example, Toxoplasma gondii, which causes the disease toxoplasmosis. It is common in domestic cats and can be transmitted to humans.
Še posebej je nevarna za nosečnice, saj lahko povzroči hujše zaplete pri dojenčkih.
It is especially dangerous for pregnant women as it can cause more serious complications in babies.
Toksoplazmozo najdemo tudi pri divjih mačkah v naravi.
Toxoplasmosis is also found in wild cats in the wild.
Znanstveniki so v Keniji trideset let raziskovali, kako vpliva na obnašanje hijen.
Scientists have been researching how it affects the behaviour of hyenas in Kenya for thirty years.
Osredotočili so se predvsem na mladiče, mlajše od enega leta. Pri tej starosti so še zelo nebogljeni in okužba ima nanje največji vpliv.
They focused mainly on cubs under one year of age. At this age, they are still very helpless, and the infection has the greatest impact on them.
»Matere za varnost svojih mladičev porabijo veliko časa. Zanje skrbijo do približno enega leta, vendar mladiči niso popolnoma samostojni, dokler niso stari dve leti ali več,« pravi soavtor raziskave dr. Zach Laubach.
“Mothers spend a lot of time on the safety of their cubs. They are cared for for about a year, but the cubs are not completely independent until they are two years old or older,” says the co-author of the study, Dr. Zach Laubach.
Znanstveniki so spoznali, da so mladiči, okuženi s toksoplazmozo, v bližini levov pogumnejši kot neokuženi mladiči.
Scientists have found that toxoplasmosis-infected cubs are braver near lions than uninfected cubs.
Zaradi preveč pogumnega vedenja jih ti lažje napadejo. Neprevidni mladiči se jim namreč težje umaknejo.
Too much courageous behaviour makes it easier for you to attack them. Careless cubs find it harder to withdraw.
Pri tako nizki starosti se morajo mladiči zanesti le na previdnost in zaradi neizkušenosti so lahek plen.
At such a young age, pups need to rely only on caution and, due to inexperience, are easy prey.
Raziskovalcev zato ni presenetilo, ko so njihovi izračuni pokazali, da je bilo več kot 80 odstotkov mladičev, ki so poginili zaradi levjega napada, okuženih s toksoplazmozo.
The researchers were therefore not surprised when their calculations showed that more than 80 percent of the cubs that died from the lion’s attack were infected with toxoplasmosis.
Zanimivo pa je, da pri hijenah, starejših od enega leta, sprememb v obnašanju niso opazili, tudi če so se okužile s toksoplazmozo.
Interestingly, no changes in behaviour were observed in hyenas older than one year, even if they became infected with toxoplasmosis.
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