Journal

Internal Parasites of Giraffes (Giraffa from Etosha National Park, Namibia R. C. Krecek,’

J. Boomker,2

B. L. Penzhorn,

Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Medunsa 0204, Republic National Park, P.O. Okaukuejo via Outjo, Namibia 9000

ABSTRACT:

asitological raffes

During

three

seasonal

periods,

samples

were

collected

from

(Giraffa

Etosha

canielopardalis

National

recovered

sp.

abundances 18

to this

of

may

531

region

preferred

host

Key

because

for

these

a ugolensis,

helm

to the the

was

ranged

rainfall is

not

a

sons

species

of

Giraffe,

Giraffa

camelopardalis

i nths,

heniatozoa,

helminths. survey,

ranching studies

asites infecting wildlife is further underlined

by

prey-

cross-transmission wildlife and

parasites livestock.

Although

of domestic there

is some

This of

only

semi-quantitative

on

(Kelly

et

rainfall

is 300

records

described

for

January female);

subadult prepared

to 350

of the

mm

DepartNathe Both are

Etosha

(Berry,

1980):

to April), and dry and

1986 July

male). Thin at necropsy,

and Nofe-

(subadult male, sub1986 (adult female, blood fixed

smears were in methanol,

stained in 10% Giemsa stain and examined for protozoans in immersion oil at 1,000 x magnification. Small intraerythrocytic trophozoites (=piroplasms) resembling Cy-

the internal parasites of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), most studies have either included only one or two animals or have been

are

male); adult

between

information

Ecological

Faculty of Department Institute, Etosha 2

Two giraffes were selected randomly shot during each of the three seasons: vember 1985 (adult female, subadult

in southon the par-

in this area. the potential

of South Africa;

Africa;

these are wet and hot (January dry and cold (May to August) hot (September to December).

abundance.

The growth of game ern Africa necessitates

of South

available to wildlife; seasonal waterholes are filled after rains, while boreholes provide water during dry periods. Three sea-

from

low

giraffe

1990

Association

of Parasitology,

Republic

annual

pp. 395-397

1990.

Disease

ment of Water Affairs, Windhoek, mibia). The annual rainfall during 1985-1986 study period was 233 mm. natural and artificial water sources

mean

low

which

be attributed or

the

sp.

The

helminths

in

‘Department 0110,

26(3).

angolensis)

unpublished

(1977

helminths

Cytauxzoon

found.

gi-

skrjabini, ni itchelli and

us

larvae;

all

words:

alence,

Haenionch

hematozoan

only

The

Pa rabronerna

spp.,

Echinococcus

of

Namibia.

incltlde(l

Skrjabinenza the

angolensis)

Park,

predicted

par-

six

Diseases, © Wildlife

camelopardalis

L. Scheepers,3

and

of Wildlife

a!.,

1968; Round, 1968; Pester and Laurence, 1974; Boomker et al., 1986). The present study examines quantitatively the parasites in giraffes near Otjovasandu (19#{176}15’S, 14#{176}31’E)in the west of Eto-

tauxzoon sp. were seen on blood smears on two giraffes. He!minth parasites were recovered following procedures described by Horak et a!. (1983). Representative specimens of nematodes recovered in this study are deposited in

sha National Park, Namibia, seasonal periods. This is the on the parasite community

the U.S. National (Beltsville, Maryland sion numbers 80857

cies The ern

during three first such study of the subspe-

Giraffa ca melopardalis range of giraffe extends Namibia.

mibian giraffes (Joubert The

of the

One-quarter

population occur

in

of approximately Etosha National

and Mostert, 1975). vegetation of the study

pane (Colophospermu na (Joubert and

m Mostert,

Onderstepoort tion (Onderstepoort

angolensis. across north-

mopane) 1975)

area

total

Na-

South

4,000 Park

Africa;

S.2348).

Blood

Parasite 20705,

to 80859)

Helminthological 0110,

accession smears

Collection USA; accesand in the CollecRepublic

numbers are

deposited

of

S.2346

to

in the

Onderstepoort Protozoological Collection (accession numbers 6143 and 6144). The specimens of larval stages of Echinococcus were inadvertently lost and therefore can

is Mosavanand the

not 395

be

deposited

in a collection.

396

JOURNAL

1.

TABLE

OF WILDLIFE

Helminths

DISEASES,

of giraffes

VOL. 26, NO. 3, JULY

(n

6) from

=

the

1990

Etosha

National

Park,

Namibia,

1985-1986.

Abundance Prevalence Parabronema

skrjabini

Skrjabinema

adults

spp.

Haemonchus

Mean

100

SD

528

Range

653

9-1,747

L,

17

adults

83

L,

17

9

22

0-53

33

18

41

0-102

mitchelli larvae

Echinococcus

%

3

6

327

17

0-17

480

-

0-1,135

-

-

L,, fourth stage larvae.

The follow

terms prevalence the definitions

mitchelli

and abundance Margolis et

of

a!.

Three a

nematode

found

new

host

Haernonchus skrjabini

and

(Table record

have

subspecies

cestode

species

for

the

mitchelli been

and reported

giraffe

(Round,

spp.

giraffe;

is

both

Parabronerna from other 1968;

Sachs

Boomker et al., 1986). to previously published

par-

of

et al., 1973; In contrast

one

1). Skrjabinerna

asite lists, Boomker et a!. (1986) provided the first quantitative study of helminths from the giraffe. Their study included two giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) from Kruger National Park (Republic of South minths

Africa) with intensities at 2,621 and 19,157

These

greatly

exceeded

of total he!respectively.

the

numbers

may that

occur.

However,

cross-transmission

artificial waterholes Skrjabinerna spp.

(1982).

were

likely

of

nematodes browsers, nematode

it

is more

occurs

at the

in this habitat. are not considered

of browsers. mixed feeders did not occur

In a study of and grazers, this in browsers (grey

duiker, Sylvicapra grirnrnia) but did occur predominantly in the grazers (Boer goats and Angora goats, Capra hircus; grysbuck, Raphwerus rnelanotis) (Boomker et a!., 1989a). Greater siceros), another ferred host for a!., 1989b). Parabronerna with an indirect termediate

host.

intermediate

kudu (Tragelaphus browser, also is not this

nematode

(Boomker

skrjabini, life cycle, In

strepa preet

a nematode requires an

in-

Africa,

the

southern

host is thought to be HaeHowever, whether the species in southern Africa are the suitfor this nematode is unknown

helminths found in the present study. The lower rainfall in our study area as compared to the predicted annual rainfall of

rnatobia

600 to 650 mm in the Park, may have been the tor resulting in the lower

(Boomker et a!., 1986). It was not possible to determine seasonal differences in the abundance of helminths. This resulted from the small host sample size collected in this study.

these ground

species moisture

of

Kruger National contributing facprevalence since

nematodes for transmission

third-stage larvae. This for the low prevalence H. mitchelli. The low

depend on of their

may be one reason and abundance of abundance of H.

mitchelli in giraffes also may be related to the eland (Taurotragus oryx) sharing the habitat with giraffes. Eland are thought to be the preferred host (J. Boomker, pers. comm.) for this he!minth species. Although giraffes are predominantly browsers both This

and

eland

reported suggests

are to that

mixed

feeders,

graze (Smithers, cross-transmission

they

are

1983). of H.

sp.

of this fly able vectors

The nematodes found in this study are not known to infect cattle. Therefore, there is no risk of cross-transmission between co-occur

cattle and giraffes where the same habitat.

they

Morphological traerythrocytic

between Cytauxzoon

and/or

distinction stages of

Theileria

sp.

is difficult.

era have been reported Kenya (Brocklesby and the absence experimental

of serological transmission

from Vidler,

in insp.

Both

gen-

giraffes 1966).

examination of the

in In or

giraffe

SHORT

parasite to established sp. such as grey bushbuck

hosts duiker,

(Tragelaphus

(Neitz,

1957;

previous

Martin

the

have

giraffe

was

in

reported

to northern

not

in

Natal

search

a giraffe

from

to

African

nature

be

BROCKLESBY,

and

hepatocytes,

these

as well

parasitized

to become

cells

multinuclear

their and

of

Agriculture South West

syncy-

operation

and

disposal;

the

placing late

Wyk

expertise sion.

in

H.

H.

taurinus) Ph.D.

at

Republic

of

Etosha

South

J., I. C.

BOO\IKER,

lyon.

ince. search

and

K.

M.

DE

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of

and

Boer

Angora in

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R. BROWN.

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West

MARGOLIS,

(Connochaetes

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HORAK,

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and

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AND

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Fertile

CITED

1980. Behavioural on blue wildebeest

studies

Hae-

the

AND

E.

Journal

logical

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Bulletin

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J. D., J. C.

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LITERATURE

of

285-299.

of

South

of the

technical assistance; in identification

examining

Africa. 14:

1966.

members

Journal

bution

our

and for arranging transport during the first author’s I. B. J. van Rensburg for

South Journal

93-102.

black

and

poort

helminth some

\‘IDLER.

Helminth

and

taurinus

also for his cooperation; R. Bartlett, T. E. Krecek

R. Stroud for for advice

the cestode specimens sence; and

van

at

53: B. 0. wild

Africa

XVI.

JOUBERT.

was that of the

Conserfor co-

animals

Theuns

above institution K. Stevens, Miss and Mrs. A. Verster

and Nature Africa/Namibia

in

V. DE

blue

The from

255.

disease and could consequently have lacked immunity. Our records indicate that Cytauxzoon sp. occur naturally in giraffe in the center of their range. The authors wish to thank the Department vation,

Re-

Onderstepoort

of domestic

Africa.

of

tendency

form

found in

Parasites

of

tia. The exact origin of the giraffe unknown, but the authors speculated it may have come from an area free

AND

I. C.,

HORAK,

as enlargement and

D. W.,

in East

Diseases

(McCully

National

Veterinary

1986.

.

reserves.

Artiodactyla

et a!., 1970). The diagnosis was based on the presence of small intraerythrocytic piroplasms, schizogony in the Kupffer cells

Kruger

of

artiodactylids

Research

matozoa

translocated

Namibia

AND

,

of various

of Veterinary

may not cytauxzoono-

in the

Journal

397

56: 111-121.

,

specifically.

giraffes Fatal

strepsiceros,

Onderstepoort

parasites

attempted

parasite

Cytauxzoonosis without consequence. sis

Tragelaphus Park.

scriptus) and eland and Brocklesby, 1960),

authors

identify

of Cytauxzoon greater kudu,

COMMUNICATiONS

1989.

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