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Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial biointoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

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dc.contributor.author Bengis, R
dc.contributor.author Govender, D
dc.contributor.author Lane, E
dc.contributor.author Myburgh, J
dc.contributor.author Oberholster, Paul J
dc.contributor.author Buss, P
dc.contributor.author Prozesky, L
dc.contributor.author Keet, D
dc.date.accessioned 2017-05-16T12:06:55Z
dc.date.available 2017-05-16T12:06:55Z
dc.date.issued 2016-10
dc.identifier.citation Bengis, R., Govender, D., Lane, E. et al. 2016. Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial biointoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, vol. 87(1): a1391. doi: 10.4102/jsava.v87i1.1391 en_US
dc.identifier.issn 1019-9128
dc.identifier.uri http://www.jsava.co.za/index.php/jsava/article/view/1391
dc.identifier.uri doi: 10.4102/jsava.v87i1.1391
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10204/9057
dc.description Copyright: The Authors, 2016 en_US
dc.description.abstract Over the past decade, several clustered, multispecies, wildlife mortality events occurred in the vicinity of two man-made earthen dams in the southern and south central regions of the Kruger National Park, South Africa. On field investigation, heavy cyanobacterial blooms were visible in these impoundments and analysis of water samples showed the dominance of Microcystis spp. (probably Microcystis aeruginosa). Macroscopic lesions seen at necropsy and histopathological lesions were compatible with a diagnosis of cyanobacterial intoxication. Laboratory toxicity tests and assays also confirmed the presence of significant levels of microcystins in water from the two dams. These outbreaks occurred during the dry autumn and early winter seasons when water levels in these dams were dropping, and a common feature was that all the affected dams were supporting a large number of hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius). It is hypothesised that hippopotamus’ urine and faeces, together with agitation of the sediments, significantly contributed to internal loading of phosphates and nitrogen – leading to eutrophication of the water in these impoundments and subsequent cyanobacterial blooms. A major cause for concern was that a number of white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) were amongst the victims of these bio-intoxication events. This publication discusses the eco-epidemiology and pathology of these clustered mortalities, as well as the management options considered and eventually used to address the problem. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher AOSIS en_US
dc.rights Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States *
dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/ *
dc.subject Cyanobacterial bloom en_US
dc.subject Eutrophication en_US
dc.subject Hippopotamus en_US
dc.subject Microcystis spp en_US
dc.subject Microcystins en_US
dc.subject Kruger National Park en_US
dc.subject Eco-epidemiology en_US
dc.subject Pathology en_US
dc.subject Wildlife mortality en_US
dc.title Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial biointoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa en_US
dc.type Article en_US
dc.identifier.apacitation Bengis, R., Govender, D., Lane, E., Myburgh, J., Oberholster, P. J., Buss, P., ... Keet, D. (2016). Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial biointoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/9057 en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitation Bengis, R, D Govender, E Lane, J Myburgh, Paul J Oberholster, P Buss, L Prozesky, and D Keet "Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial biointoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa." (2016) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/9057 en_ZA
dc.identifier.vancouvercitation Bengis R, Govender D, Lane E, Myburgh J, Oberholster PJ, Buss P, et al. Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial biointoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. 2016; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/9057. en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Article AU - Bengis, R AU - Govender, D AU - Lane, E AU - Myburgh, J AU - Oberholster, Paul J AU - Buss, P AU - Prozesky, L AU - Keet, D AB - Over the past decade, several clustered, multispecies, wildlife mortality events occurred in the vicinity of two man-made earthen dams in the southern and south central regions of the Kruger National Park, South Africa. On field investigation, heavy cyanobacterial blooms were visible in these impoundments and analysis of water samples showed the dominance of Microcystis spp. (probably Microcystis aeruginosa). Macroscopic lesions seen at necropsy and histopathological lesions were compatible with a diagnosis of cyanobacterial intoxication. Laboratory toxicity tests and assays also confirmed the presence of significant levels of microcystins in water from the two dams. These outbreaks occurred during the dry autumn and early winter seasons when water levels in these dams were dropping, and a common feature was that all the affected dams were supporting a large number of hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius). It is hypothesised that hippopotamus’ urine and faeces, together with agitation of the sediments, significantly contributed to internal loading of phosphates and nitrogen – leading to eutrophication of the water in these impoundments and subsequent cyanobacterial blooms. A major cause for concern was that a number of white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) were amongst the victims of these bio-intoxication events. This publication discusses the eco-epidemiology and pathology of these clustered mortalities, as well as the management options considered and eventually used to address the problem. DA - 2016-10 DB - ResearchSpace DP - CSIR KW - Cyanobacterial bloom KW - Eutrophication KW - Hippopotamus KW - Microcystis spp KW - Microcystins KW - Kruger National Park KW - Eco-epidemiology KW - Pathology KW - Wildlife mortality LK - https://researchspace.csir.co.za PY - 2016 SM - 1019-9128 T1 - Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial biointoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa TI - Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial biointoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10204/9057 ER - en_ZA


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