Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe

Wildlife hosts many pathogens of economic importance and is considered as a reservoir of important tick-borne diseases of livestock in southern Africa. The species composition of ticks parasitizing buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) was investiga...

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Main Authors: Moyo, Doreen Zandile, Chakuya, Jeremiah, Sungirai, Marvelous
Format: Article
Published: Springer Nature 2018
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Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3078
https://rdcu.be/4bGZ
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author Moyo, Doreen Zandile
Chakuya, Jeremiah
Sungirai, Marvelous
author_facet Moyo, Doreen Zandile
Chakuya, Jeremiah
Sungirai, Marvelous
author_sort Moyo, Doreen Zandile
collection DSpace
description Wildlife hosts many pathogens of economic importance and is considered as a reservoir of important tick-borne diseases of livestock in southern Africa. The species composition of ticks parasitizing buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) was investigated in five protected parks in the Zambezi valley, Zim-babwe. A total of 1104 adult ticks was collected from 75 adult animals comprising five buffaloes, five elephants and five impalas drawn from five protected wildlife parks. Five tick species belonging to two genera were recovered, with Rhipicephalus decoloratus being the most prevalent species in all the three animal groups. Amblyomma hebraeum was only recovered from buffaloes whereas Rhipicephalus zambeziensis was recovered from buffa-los and elephants. Significant differences in mean tick species distribution and concentra-tion were observed amongst the wildlife parks and these appeared to be influenced by the number of hosts in each park. The study revealed that buffaloes are the major host of R. decoloratus in the Zambezi valley. The presence of these ixodid ticks within the Zambezi valley may have significant ecological and economic impacts on wildlife conservation, domestic animals and human health.
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spelling ir-11408-30782022-06-27T13:49:06Z Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe Moyo, Doreen Zandile Chakuya, Jeremiah Sungirai, Marvelous Ixodid ticks Rhipicephalus spp. Wildlife Zambezi valley· Zimbabwe Wildlife hosts many pathogens of economic importance and is considered as a reservoir of important tick-borne diseases of livestock in southern Africa. The species composition of ticks parasitizing buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) was investigated in five protected parks in the Zambezi valley, Zim-babwe. A total of 1104 adult ticks was collected from 75 adult animals comprising five buffaloes, five elephants and five impalas drawn from five protected wildlife parks. Five tick species belonging to two genera were recovered, with Rhipicephalus decoloratus being the most prevalent species in all the three animal groups. Amblyomma hebraeum was only recovered from buffaloes whereas Rhipicephalus zambeziensis was recovered from buffa-los and elephants. Significant differences in mean tick species distribution and concentra-tion were observed amongst the wildlife parks and these appeared to be influenced by the number of hosts in each park. The study revealed that buffaloes are the major host of R. decoloratus in the Zambezi valley. The presence of these ixodid ticks within the Zambezi valley may have significant ecological and economic impacts on wildlife conservation, domestic animals and human health. 2018-08-08T09:44:22Z 2018-08-08T09:44:22Z 2018-02-06 Article http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3078 https://rdcu.be/4bGZ open Springer Nature https://rdcu.be/4bGZ
spellingShingle Ixodid ticks Rhipicephalus spp. Wildlife Zambezi valley· Zimbabwe
Moyo, Doreen Zandile
Chakuya, Jeremiah
Sungirai, Marvelous
Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe
title Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe
title_full Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe
title_fullStr Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe
title_short Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe
title_sort ixodid ticks of african buffalo (syncerus caffer), impala (aepyceros melampus) and elephant (loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the zambezi valley, zimbabwe
topic Ixodid ticks Rhipicephalus spp. Wildlife Zambezi valley· Zimbabwe
url http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3078
https://rdcu.be/4bGZ
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