Researchers in France have discovered that a monotonous dieting of corn stimulate hamsters to exhibit some unusual demeanor — cannibalism .
Anew paperoutlines the exploit of scientists at the University of Strasbourg to regulate why the European hamster ( Cricetus cricetus ) has been dying off at an alarming pace .
The hamster is critically endangered in western Europe and research into the cause seemed to hit a brick wall . At first , it was hypothecate that pesticides and industrial ploughing might be to blame . Perhaps the hamsters surreptitious layer were being destroyed , lead to the universe drop off . But that was determined to not be the cause .
Researchers run by Mathilde Tissier decided to take care into the hamster ’s diet . antecedently , the gnawer ’s diet consist of grain , roots and insects . But the regions in which it ’s number were dropping have been taken over by the industrial farming of Zea mays .
The Guardianexplains how tests were carried out :
A first set of lab experimentation with wild specimen compared wheat and corn whisky - based diet , with side dishes of trefoil or worms . There was virtually no departure in the number of puppy bear , or the basic nutritional value of the different menu . But when it came to survival rates , the difference was dramatic .
About four - one-fifth of the pups tolerate of mothers feasting on wheat - and - clover or wheat - and - worms were wean . Only 5 % , however , of the baby hamsters whose mothers ate Indian corn instead of pale yellow made it that far . What was most worrisome is how they decease .
The hideous results found that mothers were observe their whelp with their cache of maize and finally ate them live . They also develop “ blackened - tongues ” and began acting erratically , “ climb and pounding their feeders . ”
“ Improperly cooked lemon - based diets have been associated with higher rates of homicide , suicide and cannibalism in human , ” the researchers manoeuver out . A deficiency of the vitamin B3 has been trace to a condition called pellagra . It ’s believed that three million people died from pellagra between 1735 and 1940 .
So , the scientists decided to test out hamster subjects with a strictly maize - based diet but add B3 for some . Suddenly the hamster being given extra vitamins started doing normal hamster activities instead of go through their offspring like maniacs .
https://lifehacker.com/the-biggest-concerns-about-gmo-food-arent-really-about-1702906290
While the European hamster is considered a pest by farmers maintaining bio - multifariousness is important to the ecosystem and in France it ’s authoritative to the law . The European Union ’s in high spirits court , ruled in 2011that the body politic must adjust policies to protect the hamster or confront fines up to $ 24.6 million . According to the researcher , it ’s unclouded that the best policy to fix this situation is a conjunctive effort “ to restore a various range of plants in agribusiness scheme . ” Hopefully , freakin ’ cannibalism as a symptom will be enough to cause action on the job .
[ The Guardian ]
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