Abstract
The objective of this study was to conduct a preliminary survey of diseases that might be present in the wild Nile crocodile population in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Blood samples were collected from crocodiles ranging in size from 34.0 cm to 463.0 cm total length. Samples were examined for blood parasites and underwent a haematological analysis. Before release the crocodiles were examined for various clinical abnormalities. Of the 144 crocodiles examined, none were visibly sick or displayed any signs of disease. No antibodies to Mycoplasma crocodyli were detected. Hepatozoon pettiti was present in 55.3% of blood smears examined, but there was no significant difference in any of the haematological values between the infected and uninfected crocodiles, and a high prevalence of Hepatozoon infection is not uncommon in other species. Only 7.6% of the examined crocodiles were infested with leeches. Further research is required for several of the crocodilian diseases, in particular to elucidate the role of wild crocodilians as reservoirs of infection.
Highlights
Since the development of the crocodile farming industry in the 1980s, a number of studies have been carried out worldwide on diseases in farmed crocodiles . 6,7,12,13,20,27,28 Very little, is known about the diseases of wild crocodilians, wild Nile crocodiles
The Okavango Delta consists of permanent and seasonal swamp, which is inundated during the annual flood[32]
The only ectoparasite found on the Nile crocodiles examined was the leech Placobdelloides multistriatus
Summary
Since the development of the crocodile farming industry in the 1980s, a number of studies have been carried out worldwide on diseases in farmed crocodiles . 6,7,12,13,20,27,28 Very little, is known about the diseases of wild crocodilians, wild Nile crocodiles. Since the development of the crocodile farming industry in the 1980s, a number of studies have been carried out worldwide on diseases in farmed crocodiles . 6,7,12,13,20,27,28 Very little, is known about the diseases of wild crocodilians, wild Nile crocodiles. Wild crocodiles are often difficult to study owing to the remoteness of the areas in which they occur. The initial objective of this study was to determine disease prevalence in the wild Nile crocodile population in the Okavango Delta. Several factors made this difficult: (i) Very few serological tests have been developed for crocodile diseases. (iii) Sick crocodiles are difficult to identify by observation. Under farmed conditions they often stop eating but show aDepartment of Conservation Ecology & Entomology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7600 South Africa. Under farmed conditions they often stop eating but show aDepartment of Conservation Ecology & Entomology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7600 South Africa. bJohannesburg Zoo, Private Bag X13, Parkview, 2122 South Africa
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