Data from: Fear of feces? Trade-offs between disease risk and foraging drive animal activity around raccoon latrines

Fear of predation alters prey behavior, which can indirectly alter entire
landscapes. A parasite-induced ecology of fear might also exist if animals
avoid parasite-contaminated resources when infection costs outweigh
foraging benefits. To investigate whether animals avoid parasite
contaminated sites, and if such avoidance balances disease costs and
foraging gains, we monitored animal behavior at raccoon latrines — sites
that concentrate both seeds and pathogenic parasite eggs. Using wildlife
cameras, we documented over 40 potentially susceptible vertebrate species
in latrines and adjacent habitat. Latrine contact rates reflected
background activity, diet preferences and disease risk. Disease-tolerant
raccoons and rats displayed significant site attraction, while susceptible
birds and small mammals avoided these high-risk sites. This suggests that
parasites, like predators, might create a landscape of fear for vulnerable
hosts. Such non-consumptive parasite effects could alter disease
transmission, population dynamics, and even ecosystem structure.