Internal Parasites of Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis) from Etosha National Park, Namibia

Abstract

During three seasonal periods, parasitological samples were collected from six giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis) in the Etosha National Park, Namibia. The helminths recovered included Parabronema skrjabini, Skrjabinema spp., Haemonchus mitchelli and Echinococcus sp. larvae; Cytauxzoon sp. was the only hematozoan found. The low mean abundances of all helminths which ranged from 18 to 531 may be attributed to the low rainfall of this region or because the giraffe is not a preferred host for these species of helminths.

Helminths in a giraffe (<i>Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa<i/>) from a zoo in Spain : research communication

“…On the other hand, Boomker et al (1986) recorded 2 621 and 19 157 helminths, respectively, in two giraffes in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, a much larger number than recorded for the animals from Etosha. Krecek et al (1990) attributed these differences to the low rainfall at Etosha National Park.…”

“…The study of the males gave the following distribution: Little information is available in the literature on the parasites of giraffes, and all refer to those recovered from animals living in National Parks. Krecek et al (1990), in a study on six animals in the Etosha National Park, Namibia, recorded parasite loads ranging from 18 to 531. These numbers are much lower than those obtained in the present work.…”

“…Moniezia expansa (Pester & Laurence 1974), hydatid cysts (Kelly, Boray & Dixon 1968;Krecek et al 1990), Haemonchus mitchelli (Sachs et al 1973;Krecek et al 1990), Skrjabinema spp. (Krecek et al 1990) or Parabronema skrjabini (Boomker et al 1986;Krecek et al 1990), were not found in the present study.…”

Identification of novel Babesia and Theileria species in South African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis, Linnaeus, 1758) and roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus, Desmarest 1804)

“…Small intra-erythrocytic trophozoites resembling Cytauxzoon sp. were seen on blood smears of two giraffe from the Etosha National Park, Namibia (Krecek et al, 1990).…”

Redescriptions of Haemonchus mitchelli and Haemonchus okapiae (Nematoda: Trichostrongyloidea) and Description of a Unique Synlophe for the Haemonchinae

“…Because H. okapiae was considered to be a synonym of H. mitchelli for more than 50 yr, specimens identified as H. mitchelli from giraffes should be reexamined, for example, Ortlepp (1961), Sachs et al (1973), and Krecek et al (1990). Other species of Haemonchus have been reported from the giraffe (Sachs et al, 1973) as well as from the okapi, and the host specificity of Haemonchus spp.…”