Unveiling the Hidden Threat : Diversity of Ticks Infesting the Critically Endangered Mountain (…)

ABSTRACT

The mountain bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) is a critically endangered antelope native to the montane forests of Kenya. Population recovery efforts through breeding programs have been hampered by mortality from tick-borne diseases and yet the tick fauna of this species is poorly known. To document ticks infesting the mountain bongo, 18 animals from Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy were examined for ticks. All mountain bongos had ticks with a mean abundance (±SE) of 12.06 ± 1.9. A total of 217 ticks representing nine species from three genera (Rhipicephalus, Ixodes and Haemaphysalis) were collected. The species found in the highest proportion of hosts were Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (77.78%), Haemaphysalis aciculifer (72.22%) and Ixodes nairobiensis (33.33%). Analyses of diversity indices revealed high tick diversity in the mountain bongo population (Hill-Shannon diversity index = 6.41; Hill-Simpson diversity = 5.55; Simpson Dominance index, D = 0.18). Compared to related antelope species and livestock, the mountain bongo's tick community is both diverse and equitably distributed among species. This research marks the first comprehensive documentation of tick species infesting the mountain bongo and provides baseline data on its tick fauna. Results underscore the need for veterinary interventions, to mitigate health risks from tick-borne pathogens and enhance bongo conservation.