PARA 706: WILDLIFE PARASITES AND CONSERVATION

This course will explore how human natural resource exploitation impact on landscape changes, which in turn influences the emergence of diseases, especially those of zoonotic/anthroponotic importance. An understanding into the role of emerging diseases in the decline of vulnerable wildlife species will also be sought to gain insight into the properties of pathogens capable of driving extinction of wildlife species. Translocation of hosts and the spread of infections; Transmission of wildlife parasites by domestic animals and exotic pets; The role of wildlife parasites in extinction; Numerical and functional importance of parasites to wildlife management and conservation; Current conservation status of wildlife parasites; Challenges to the incorporation of parasite biodiversity into conservation strategies.