Nelson B Freimer

Mapping correlates of parasitism in wild South African vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops)

A growing focus of nonhuman primate conservation and management planning concerns factors affecting the dynamics of parasite infection and disease transmission. Here, we examine the effects of anthropogenic and environmental components of the landscape on the prevalence, richness, and species diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in wild-caught vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) in South Africa. Nematodes of the genus Trichuris and the family Strongylidae and protists of the subclass Coccidia were present in 55.13% of sampled animals (n = 43). Parasitological, geographical, demographic and climatic correlates of infection were assessed in a geographical information systems (GIS) platform. The findings of this study suggest that parasitism in South African vervets may be better predicted by environmental factors than by degree of anthropogenic contact. This research represents one of the first surveys of parasitic infection in a wild monkey species in southern Africa.