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Open Access 01-09-2018 | Short Communication

Using Parasitic Load to Measure the Effect of Anthropogenic Disturbance on Vervet Monkeys

Authors: Harriet R. Thatcher, Colleen T. Downs, Nicola F. Koyama

Published in: EcoHealth | Issue 3/2018

Abstract

Vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus pygerythrus, thrive in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and present a suitable model to assess parasitic load as a measure of anthropogenic disturbance, such as urbanization. We collected vervet monkey faecal samples from four study sites representing a gradient of land use and urbanization. We assessed faecal parasites using the faecal flotation method calculating eggs per gram and parasite richness. Overall, the more urban vervet monkey populations had a significantly higher parasite richness and abundance. Our study shows the applicability of using parasite load to measure the effect of urbanization on wildlife.

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Title: Using Parasitic Load to Measure the Effect of Anthropogenic Disturbance on Vervet Monkeys
Authors: Harriet R. Thatcher
Colleen T. Downs
Nicola F. Koyama
Publication date: 01-09-2018
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: EcoHealth / Issue 3/2018
Print ISSN: 1612-9202
Electronic ISSN: 1612-9210
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-018-1349-y

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