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(upbeat music)

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- Scientists in South
Africa recently puffed

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the hormone oxytocin into the
respiratory system of lions

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to see how it changed their behavior.

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Turns out, lions get pretty chill

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when you blow drugs up their nose.

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Why would anybody do this?

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Well, the sprawl of human cities means

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that lions' natural
territory is shrinking,

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and sometimes the combative
cats have to be relocated

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to live among other lions.

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A team of researchers
suspected that oxytocin,

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also called the love
hormone, could help ease

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the animals' transitions
into new environments.

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In many mammals, oxytocin is released

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during sex, childbirth, and even cuddling

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and is often associated
with feeling warm and fuzzy.

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So the scientists lured the
cats close to a fence with food

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and sprayed the hormone into their noses.

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The lions quickly became
calmer and less territorial.

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They even stopped roaring back

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when they heard an unfamiliar roar.

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That gives the researchers hope

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that oxytocin-doped cats
might be less adversarial

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when meeting lions of a different pride.

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The blissed-out lions
weren't totally relaxed.

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Even under the influence of oxytocin,

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the lions wouldn't share
their blood popsicles,

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a common treat at the sanctuary.

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Of course, that didn't
surprise the researchers,

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who said that lions tend to
have a finders-keepers policy

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when it comes to food.

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As urban sprawl continues, more lions

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from different prides are going to end up

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on nature preserves, so
the researchers behind

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this study are now working
with conservation groups

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to help them use oxytocin
when strange lions meet,

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so they don't end up fighting.

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Catnip is great, but when
it comes to big cats,

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you can't beat the love hormone.

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To read more about this
story, check out Gizmodo.com.