Parasite avoidance: the cause of post-calving migrations in Rangifer?

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (9) ◽  
pp. 2423-2429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivar Folstad ◽  
Arne C. Nilssen ◽  
Odd Halvorsen ◽  
Johan Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Parasitic Infections ◽  
Larval Abundance ◽  
Infective Stage ◽  
Migration Distance ◽  
Behavioural Adaptation ◽  
Summer Grazing ◽  
Parasite Avoidance ◽  
Hypoderma Tarandi

Intensities of warble fly larvae, Hypoderma tarandi (L.), were examined in slaughtered reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) from different summer grazing areas of Finnmark County, northern Norway. To test the hypothesis that larval abundance decreases with increase in post-calving migration distance (i.e., distance from calving grounds), herds with differing migration distances were sampled. The prevalence of infection in the total sample of 1168 animals was 99.9%. The study revealed significant differences in larval abundance among herds from different summer grazing areas. Herds with post-calving migrations have significantly lower larval abundances than herds remaining on or near the calving grounds for the whole summer. Between-herds variation in abundance of H. tarandi larvae is assumed to reflect differing densities of the infective stage (adult flies) on the herds' summer ranges. Larval abundance in a herd is in turn negatively correlated with the distance between the main larval shedding areas (i.e., calving grounds) and the areas of greatest transmission (i.e., summer pastures). These results are discussed in relation to transmission of other parasites common to Rangifer and suggest that this host's post-calving migration may be a behavioural adaptation that reduces levels of parasitic infections.

Sheep avoidance of faeces creates a foraging trade-off between nutrient and parasite intake

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 ◽  
pp. 94-94
Author(s):  
M. R. Hutchings ◽  
I. J. Gordon ◽  
I. Kyriazakis ◽  
F. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Parasite Species ◽  
Avoidance Behaviour ◽  
Infective Stage ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Survival And Reproduction ◽  
Parasite Avoidance ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites, acquired by sheep through the action of foraging, are the most pervasive challenge to their survival and reproduction. The eggs of many GI parasite species are deposited on pasture in faeces where they develop into infective stage larvae that contaminate surrounding swards. We test the hypotheses that (1) faeces and hence parasite avoidance behaviour of sheep creates a grazing trade-off between nutrition and parasitism and (2) the relative costs and benefits of the trade-off in relation to animal state of infection (parasitized, non-parasitized, immune) determines their subsequent grazing behaviour.

scholarly journals Quantitative differentiation of types of feeding craters of Rangifer tarandus fennicus

Rangifer ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
William O. Pruitt, Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Linear Extensions ◽  
Behavioural Adaptation ◽  
Feeding Sites ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Single Use ◽  
A Site ◽  
Eastern Finland

During winter 1983-1984 in the Kainuu region of eastern Finland, based on 1363 api profiles, the Värriö Snow Index (VSI) modelled 3 different types of feeding craters dug by Rangifer tarandus fennicus. When mean log VSI of control sites = < ca. 1.4, the animals used suov'dnji (Lappish) or individual, single-use excavations; when mean log VSI of control sites = > 1.4 < ca. 2.1, the animals used fies'ki (Lappish) or cooperative excavations of the perimeter of a site; when mean log VSI of control sites = > ca. 2.6, the animals switched to using ciegar (Lappish) or linear extensions of a suov'dnji, excavated by a sequence of individuals^iegar-type feeding resulted in reduction of mean log VSI of feeding sites even though VSI of control sites increased. Ciegar-type feeding is interpreted as a successful behavioural adaptation to the Sub-Marginal Period.

Flight capacity of the reindeer warble fly, Hypoderma tarandi (L.), and the reindeer nose bot fly, Cephenemyia trompe (Modeer) (Diptera: Oestridae)

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (7) ◽  
pp. 1228-1238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne C. Nilssen ◽  
John R. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Loss Rate ◽  
Mass Loss Rate ◽  
Migratory Behaviour ◽  
Free Flight ◽  
Flight Behaviour ◽  
Flight Mill ◽  
Flight Capacity ◽  
Cephenemyia Trompe ◽  
Hypoderma Tarandi

The performance of tethered flies on a laboratory flight mill was used to assess the flight capacity of Hypoderma tarandi (L.) and Cephenemyia trompe (Modeer). Maximum total flying times for H. tarandi females were 31.5 h, but most flies flew < 20 h (mean 8.5 h (SD 7.2 h)). The longest continuous flight was 12 h. For both species, mating greatly altered the flight behaviour of females. Unmated laboratory-reared females were reluctant to fly, and flew less continuously than mated wild-caught flies. Hypoderma tarandi males typically flew for short periods of a few minutes with long rests between flights. Cephenemyia trompe females seldom exceeded 10 h of total flying time (mean 4.9 h (SD 3.2 h), maximum 10.8 h), but were capable of many hours of sustained flight. Field-trapped C. trompe males normally flew < 8 h (mean 2.8 h (SD 2.1 h), maximum 7.1 h). In free flight the speed of C. trompe males was ≈8 m/s. Maximum flight distances during the lifetime of a fly were estimated to be 600–900 km for female H. tarandi, 220–330 km for female C. trompe, and 200–400 km for males of both species. Hypoderma tarandi could maximally reduce its mass to about 40% of initial mass, and the mass loss rate during flight was 3.5-fold that of basal metabolism (i.e., without flying) at 22 °C. The adaptive significance of the extraordinary capacity for sustained flight of female oestrids is related to the migratory behaviour of their vertebrate host, Rangifer tarandus (L.).

scholarly journals Human myiasis caused by the reindeer warble fly, Hypoderma tarandi, case series from Norway, 2011 to 2016

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (29) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörgen Landehag ◽  
Andreas Skogen ◽  
Kjetil Åsbakk ◽  
Boris Kan
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Regional Lymph Nodes ◽  
Travel History ◽  
Prevention Measure ◽  
Periorbital Oedema ◽  
The Face ◽  
Returning Travellers ◽  
Hypoderma Tarandi

Hypoderma tarandi causes myiasis in reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus spp.) in most northern hemisphere regions where these animals live. We report a series of 39 human myiasis cases caused by H. tarandi in Norway from 2011 to 2016. Thirty-two were residents of Finnmark, the northernmost county of Norway, one a visitor to Finnmark, and six lived in other counties of Norway where reindeer live. Clinical manifestations involved migratory dermal swellings of the face and head, enlargement of regional lymph nodes, and periorbital oedema, with or without eosinophilia. Most cases of human myiasis are seen in tropical and subtropical countries, and in tourists returning from such areas. Our findings demonstrate that myiasis caused by H. tarandi is more common than previously thought. Healthcare professionals in regions where there is a likelihood of human infestation with H. tarandi (regions populated by reindeer), or treating returning travellers, should be aware of the condition. All clinicians are advised to obtain a detailed travel history when assessing patients with migratory dermal swellings. On clinical suspicion, ivermectin should be given to prevent larval invasion of the eye (ophthalmomyiasis). Since H. tarandi oviposits on hair, we suggest wearing a hat as a prevention measure.

scholarly journals Variation in the intensity and prevalence of macroparasites in migratory caribou: a quasi-circumpolar study

2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (9) ◽  
pp. 607-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice-Anne Simard ◽  
Susan Kutz ◽  
Julie Ducrocq ◽  
Kimberlee Beckmen ◽  
Vincent Brodeur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
The Other ◽  
Taenia Hydatigena ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Comparative Survey ◽  
Wildlife Populations ◽  
Liver Flukes ◽  
Cephenemyia Trompe ◽  
Hypoderma Tarandi

Comparative studies across time and geographical regions are useful to improve our understanding of the health of wildlife populations. Our goal was to study parasitism in migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus (L., 1758)) of North America and Greenland. A total of 1507 caribou were sampled across 12 herds to assess seven of their main helminth and arthropod macroparasites between 1978 and 2010. We sought to determine which factors such as sex, age class, herd size, and season best explained the prevalence and intensity of those parasites. Intensity of warble fly (Hypoderma tarandi (L., 1758)) larvae increased with age for males, whereas the opposite was observed in females. Prevalence of giant liver flukes (Fascioloides magna (Bassi, 1875) Ward, 1917), tapeworm Taenia hydatigena Pallas, 1766, and nose bot fly (Cephenemyia trompe (Modeer, 1786)) larvae was higher in adults than in calves. Prevalence of F. magna and T. hydatigena was higher at high herd size than at lower herd size. Greenland herds had the lowest prevalence of T. hydatigena and of the tapeworm Taenia krabbei Moniez, 1879, a higher intensity of H. tarandi, and a higher prevalence of C. trompe than the other herds. Of the herds from Quebec and Labrador, the Rivière-George herd had a higher prevalence of F. magna than the Rivière-aux-Feuilles herd. Our research provides the first comparative survey of these parasites of caribou across a broad spatial–temporal range.

Energy expenditure in reindeer walking on roads and on tundra

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. White ◽  
M. K. Yousef
Keyword(s):  
Adult Female ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Mechanical Efficiency ◽  
Oxygen Cost ◽  
The Road ◽  
Resting Metabolism ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Summer Grazing

The oxygen consumption, VO2, of two adult female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) was measured while walking on roads, wet and dry tundra, and on level ground and gradients of 5 and 9%. The oxygen cost of horizontal walking on the road (S, 0.099 ± 0.009 ml O2/g per kilometre) was 14% higher than that for the interspecies line for mammals given by S = 8.46 W−0.4, where W is body weight (grams). S increased significantly to 0.112 and 0.137 for horizontal walking on dry and wet tundra, respectively. In two human subjects, the oxygen cost of horizontal walking on roads (S, 0.096 ± 0.013) was similar to reindeer; however, on dry tundra S increased 40% more than in reindeer. The mechanical efficiency of reindeer walking up 5 and 9% grades was 50 and 32%, respectively, and the VO2 in walking up a 5% gradient was 1.4 times greater than walking down; the VO2 in walking up a 9% gradient was 1.9 times greater than walking down. Resting metabolism of the two reindeer used in walking experiments varied markedly (120–204 kcal (502–854 kJ)/kg0.75 per day); for a group of four adult female reindeer taken from late summer grazing, resting metabolism was 125 ± 8 kcal (523 kJ)/kg0.75 per day, which was similar to previous estimates for reindeer.

scholarly journals Spring-loaded reproduction: effects of body condition and population size on fertility in migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus)

2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (7) ◽  
pp. 473-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Pachkowski ◽  
S.D. Côté ◽  
M. Festa-Bianchet
Keyword(s):  
Population Size ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Female Fecundity ◽  
Conservative Strategy ◽  
Maternal Expenditure ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Hypoderma Tarandi

In many ungulates, female fecundity is affected by body condition and has important effects on population dynamics. In some species, females adopt a conservative strategy, reducing reproductive effort when population density is high. We investigated what factors affect the probability of gestation in adult female caribou (Rangifer tarandus (L., 1758)) from the Rivière-George herd in northern Quebec and Labrador over 5 years that spanned various population sizes and trends. Similar to other populations of migratory caribou, the probability that a female was pregnant in spring increased with body mass and percent body fat. The probability of gestation appeared to be reduced by high infestation of warbles (Hypoderma tarandi (L., 1758)). The proportion of females pregnant varied between years and was lower at high population size. Females of similar mass, however, were pregnant regardless of whether the population was increasing at low density, had reached a peak, or was declining. Compared with other ungulates that reduce maternal expenditure at high density, female caribou of the Rivière-George herd may have a risk-prone reproductive strategy.

scholarly journals The mating sites of the reindeer nose bot fly: not a practical target for control

Rangifer ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne C. Nilssen ◽  
John R. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Bot Fly ◽  
Grazing Area ◽  
Cephenemyia Trompe ◽  
Number Of Males ◽  
Summer Grazing

The reindeer nose bot fly Cephenemyia trompe aggregates on hilltops/mountaintops to mate. Although active only for brief periods on certain days, males have been collected only from such sites. To evaluate possible suppression of the fly population by killing males (by insecticides or traps) at such sites, the density of sites and the number of males at each site were monitored in a summer grazing area of the semidomestic reindeer host (Rangifer tarandus) in Finnmark, northern Norway. In an area of ca. 20 km2, 19 mating sites were detected and examined during 4 hours on one day. The number of males observed at most sites was 5-16 (range 3-60). Minor hilltops had few males but at some sites &gt;20-60 flies were dispersed over an area of at least 100 m2. It is concluded that mating sites in the study area are too numerous, and also used by many beneficial non-target species, to be practical targets for control of the species.

scholarly journals Differences in the ecology and behaviour of reindeer populations in the USSR

Rangifer ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonid M. Baskin
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Population Differences ◽  
Reindeer Husbandry ◽  
Compact Mass ◽  
The Social ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Characteristic Features ◽  
Western Portion ◽  
Summer Grazing

The population differences in ecology and behaviour of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus spp.) is closely paralleled by the characteristic features of reindeer husbandry which reveals the close relationship between behaviour and husbandry. The western portion of the reindeer husbandry region in the USSR is vast. The reindeer are maintained on a semi-loose basis; the herd is scattered over the range; the social activity of the reindeer is lower; the herdsmen gather the herd using dogs, the herdsmen migr.ate together with the herd during the summer, grazing the herd in the vicinity of the tent for 2-5 days at a time. In the eastern portion of the region (Yakutia, Chukotka, Kamchatka), the ranges are more restrictive; the reindeer are grazed in a compact mass in summer; their feeding and movement are rigidly regulated; their social activity is high; the herd is gathered in foot without dogs. In summer, herdsmen follow the herd with light tents, the place of grazing being changed almost daily. In the taiga reindeer are raised mostly for transportation, although the hides and meat are also important; the reindeer are bigger, tamer and can be used for riding. The herds are small and the management of them is aimed at retaining the reindeer near home or the camp; migrations are short; often forest reindeer husbandry is of a sedentary nature. Attempts to change the pattern of reindeer husbandry and the methods of herding are not always successful. The harmony of environmental conditons, morphology, physiology, ecology and behaviour of reindeer and methods of husbandry are more easily disrupted than altered.

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