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

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Abstract

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, Zimbabwe. 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 buffalos and elephants. Significant differences in mean tick species distribution and concentration 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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Fig. 1

Source: Mana Pools national park general management plan unpublished 2008

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority for giving us permission to collect ticks from wildlife in the protected park estates and to Midlands State University Research Board (Grant No. 2015/3) for the financial assistance rendered for this study to be successful.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology, Midlands State University, P. Bag 9055, Gweru, Zimbabwe

    Doreen Zandile Moyo

  2. Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Matusadona National Parks, Private Bag 2003, Kariba, Zimbabwe

    Jeremiah Chakuya

  3. Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, Midlands State University, P. Bag 9055, Gweru, Zimbabwe

    Marvelous Sungirai

Authors
  1. Doreen Zandile Moyo
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  2. Jeremiah Chakuya
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  3. Marvelous Sungirai
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Correspondence to Doreen Zandile Moyo.

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Moyo, D.Z., Chakuya, J. & Sungirai, M. Ixodid ticks of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana) in five protected park estates in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe. Exp Appl Acarol 75, 409–417 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-018-0275-6

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