 Reference Base  The mammals of the southern African subregion, new edition |
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World |
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Diseases |
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Black Rhino |
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Black rhinoceros suffer from skin lesions caused by a filaria parasite. At their fullest development these lesions take the form of black, blood-encrusted areas which ulcerate and haemorrhage. Usually these are situated on the skin behind the shoulders, but also occur on the chest, neck and forelegs. All adult Natal black rhinoceros have these lesions, but they are absent in rhinos from central Africa (LeaderWilliams, pers. comm.) and are not found on desert rhinoceros in Namibia, no doubt due to the absence of flies that serve as specific vectors for the parasite (du Toit, pers. comm.). The calves are free of these until they are about six months old, when the lesions begin to appear as bare pink patches on their chests. By the age of three years they are found on the chest and sides, but only appear behind the shoulders of the individual at the age of four and a half to five years. These lesions are not related to their state of health and appear on perfectly healthy individuals (Feely, pers. comm.). Oxpeckers, Buphagus spp, which frequent the backs of rhinoceros in search of ticks, flies and the blood issuing from these lesions, tend to keep the lesions open by their activities.
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