Dr Ali Halajian
Area: 1,221,037 sq km (9 provinces)(25 th ) Birds: 865 spp (Avibase) Frogs: 110 spp Mammals: 300 spp (Bats 56)
With nearly 8% of all known species of Birds 6% of the World`s Mammal species, 5% of the World`s Reptile species, (Driver et al. 2012) Currently 65500 animal species are known from South Africa, vast majority Insects (more than 44000) (Scholtz 1999, Hamer 2013) thought to represent less than half of the actual faunal richness (80000 animal spp with more than 45000 insects) It has taken 250 years to reach the current level of taxonomic knowledge, lack of taxonomists! South Africa is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.
All the Current gaps in Biodiversity info Public Health Eating Traditional medicines (Moti, Burning Hyena tail ) Role of Diseases in causing animals to get killed easier than normal
Public Health Importance
Different studies in World In South Africa: Wendy (EWT: Wildlife and Transport) Important in Wildlife Management Socioeconomic impacts Effect on some endangered species Evaluate geographic distribution Economic cost I add: Diseases survey
Example Study in Spain Police Data 74600 in 7 years (29 pd), Wild Boar and Roe Deer most prevalent (79% cases) Carnivores (Red Fox.) Annual economic cost 105 mil euros Study in SA Efficient Police!?! Different fauna UL Team: (2012-2015, ongoing) 27 Birds spp, 5 Domestic spp, 11 Carnivores spp, 2 Primates spp, 3 Rodents, 1 Hedgehog, 1 Hyrax, 2 Tortoise, 3 Snakes, Frog (Bullfrog)
A parasite: a living organism that acquires some of its basic nutritional requirements through its intimate contact with another living organism. Parasites may be simple unicellular protozoa or complex multicellular metazoan Although parasitic infections occur globally, the majority occur in tropical regions, where there is poverty, poor sanitation and personal hygiene
Parasites Categories Ectoparasites Flies: Hippoboscidae (Birds, Bats..) Lice: Chewing (Birds), Sucking (Mammals) Mites: Feather (Birds), Quill(Birds), Chiggers (Birds, Mammals) Ticks: Hard, Soft Ecto but not parasitic (Hitchhiking!) -Earwigs -Pseudoscorpions: (Birds: body, nest), not really parasites
Helminths Parasites Categories Endoparasites Acanthocephalans Cestodes Nematodes Trematodes Protozoa Blood (Plasmodium..), GI Tract (Cryptosporidium..), Tissues (Hepatozoon, Toxoplasma, Neospora)
White-browed Coucal (Centropus superciliosus burchellii) Matlala road, Close to Mohlonong, 13 ticks on head
Scrub Hare Jackal Samango Monkey (Male, Road kill)
Earwig Hemimerus on Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus) Michael Rampedi
Earwigs Class: Insecta Order: Dermaptera -Nearly 2000 extant described species -Unsegmented forceps-like cerci in adults, assist in predation, mating, and wing folding South Africa: 48 species of Iran: 13 spp
Filariidae: Filaria, Striped Polecat One animal in 5 years! http://www.krugerpark.com/blog/index.php/black-and-white-and-alone-at-night-honey-badgers-porcupines-and-striped-polecats/striped-polecat/ Ali Halajian
Chacma Baboon: Painful Stomach Ali Halajian
Bushbaby: Stomach For those who say parasites are not important for conservation programs http://www.monkeyland.co.za/index.php?comp=article&op=view&id=1956 Michael Rampedi
First locality records in Limpopo of Moniliformis kalahariensis, in two road-killed Southern African Hedgehogs Hedgehog http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/mammals/eulipotyphla/atelerix_frontalis.htm Stomach: Physaloptera Ali Halajian A Male Adult Road killed animal: 4 Fleas, 46 Ticks, 53 Stomach Nematodes, 3 Acanthocephalans in Small Intestine and 8 Cestodes and 3 Nematodes in Large Intestine
Angulate Tortoise Niche Leopard Tortoise Ali Halajian Speke's hinge-back Tortoise Katlego David Kunutu Ali Halajian 2015
Ticks and Vector-borne pathogens
Acuariidae Acuaria Cosmocephalus Desportesius Dispharynx Pelecanema Paracuaria
Hadjelia
Trypanosoma Plasmodium Microfilaria
Chiggers on Elephant Shrew http://roadtravelafrica.com/2011/01/10/the-little-five-in-south-africa/ Ali Halajian 2014
Neotrombicula larvae
Metacestode in Rodents David Katlego Kunutu
Gerbil: Metacestode cyst in Liver Ali Halajian
Conservation importance: Polycephalic metacestode David Katlego Kunutu
Domestic animals-life cycle Domestic vs Wild animals David Kunutu 2014
Acknowledgements -University of Limpopo -So many collaborators Thanks for your Attention