PARASITE SPREAD BY CATS THREATENS BELUGAS, STUDY FINDS

Endangered beluga whales in the St. Lawrence River already facing plenty of adversity now have an unlikely foe to contend with — the common house cat. A new study suggests the belugas are being increasingly infected with a parasite known as toxoplasma gondii, transmitted through cat feces. Stephane Lair, a professor of veterinary medicine at the Universite de Montreal and one of the study’s authors, said of 34 beluga whale carcasses examined between 2009 and 2012, 44 per cent were found to be infected. In marine mammals, it may cause neurological problems and behavioural change. Lair said ensuring cat feces are not flushed down the toilet would reduce parasite levels in the water. The research was published in the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms last month.