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Predicting and reducing potential parasite infection between migratory livestock and resident Asiatic ibex of Pin valley, India

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Abstract

Disease cross-transmission between wild and domestic ungulates can negatively impact livelihoods and wildlife conservation. In Pin valley, migratory sheep and goats share pastures seasonally with the resident Asiatic ibex (Capra sibirica), leading to potential disease cross-transmission. Focussing on gastro-intestinal nematodes (GINs) as determinants of health in ungulates, we hypothesized that infection on pastures would increase over summer from contamination by migrating livestock. Consequently, interventions in livestock that are well-timed should reduce infection pressure for ibex. Using a parasite life-cycle model, that predicts infective larval availability, we investigated GIN transmission dynamics and evaluated potential interventions. Migratory livestock were predicted to contribute most infective larvae onto shared pastures due to higher density and parasite levels, driving infections in both livestock and ibex. The model predicted a c.30-day anti-parasitic intervention towards the end of the livestock’s time in Pin would be most effective at reducing GINs in both hosts. Albeit with the caveats of not being able to provide evidence of interspecific parasite transmission due to the inability to identify parasite species, this case demonstrates the usefulness of our predictive model for investigating parasite transmission in landscapes where domestic and wild ungulates share pastures. Additionally, it suggests management options for further investigation.

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Acknowledgements

This work would not have been possible without the support of the various migratory Kinnaura herders and residents of Pin valley who allowed us to work with them. We would also like to thank the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department for their support and for providing the necessary permissions to conduct this project. A special thanks to Padma Anchuk and Heshey from Sagnam village. MK would like to thank the Zutshi-Smith Foundation and the Rufford Small Grants (24486-2) for providing funding for this project. EM was funded by UK Research and Innovation through projects BB/M003949/1 and BB/T01248X/1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    Munib Khanyari, Hannah Rose Vineer & Eric R Morgan

  2. Interdisciplinary Center for Conservation Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Munib Khanyari, Rodrigo Oyanedel & E J Milner-Gulland

  3. Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, India

    Munib Khanyari, Abhirup Khara, Manvi Sharma & Kulbhushansingh R Suryawanshi

  4. Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, USA

    Kulbhushansingh R Suryawanshi

  5. Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institude for Advanced Studies, Berlin, Germany

    Kulbhushansingh R Suryawanshi

  6. Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    Hannah Rose Vineer

  7. Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK

    Eric R Morgan

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  1. Munib Khanyari
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Contributions

This study was conceptualized by MK, EM, EJM and KS. RO adapted and conducted the sensitivity analysis. HRV built and provided the GLOWORM-FL model. MK conducted the field work and analysed the data. AK helped with the analysis. MS provided critical inputs during the writing of the manuscript. MK and EM lead the writing of the manuscript and all authors commented on subsequent drafts.

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Correspondence to Munib Khanyari.

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Corresponding editor: Uma Ramakrishnan

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Khanyari, M., Oyanedel, R., Khara, A. et al. Predicting and reducing potential parasite infection between migratory livestock and resident Asiatic ibex of Pin valley, India. J Biosci 49, 50 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-024-00433-y

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