A 10-YEAR STUDY OF IXODID TICK INFESTATIONS OF BONTEBOK AND GREY RHEBOK IN THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE, SOUTH-AFRICA

Two to four bontebok Damaliscus pygargus dorcas and three to four grey rhebok Pelea capreolus, in the Bontebok National Park, Western Cape P rovince, South Africa, were examined for ticks during February of each year from 1983 to 1992. A total of 34 bontebok and 37 grey rhebok wer e examined. The bontebok harboured eight ixodid tick species of which Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum and Rhipicephalus nitens were the most ab undant. The grey rhebok harboured six species of which the former two ticks and Ixodes pilosus were the most numerous. With the exception of 1986 and 1989, when R. glabroscutatum was most abundant on the bonteb ok and grey rhebok respectively, and 1985 when I. pilosus was most ple ntiful on the grey rhebok, R. nitens was the most abundant tick specie s on both host species. Despite Boophilus microplus being present on a nimals outside the Park, as well as the translocation of Cape mountain zebras Equus zebra zebra and red hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus to the Park, no foreign tick species became established on the two hosts during the 10 years of observation. Nor did any of the tick species pr esent only in low numbers become more plentiful.