Researchers at Duke University are using climate projections for the year 2080 as a model for what parasite distributions might be like in the future. Only 10% of the lemurs' natural habit remains on the island because of logging. By 2080, temperatures in Madagascar are expected to rise by between 1 and 2.5 degrees. Anne Yoder is Director of the Duke Lemur Center (best job title ever) says that predicting lemur health in the future is particularly important now because lemurs are officially the most endangered mammal on the planet according to the International Unit on. Poor little guys. Currently, six different species of parasites are known to infect lemurs. Worms, ticks, and mites may be identified in lemur feces or fur. A few lemur-infecting parasites like tapeworms and pinworms can also affect humans, causing dehydration and diarrhea. The expected warmer climate shift will make more of Madagascar hospitable for some parasites. Some parasites that can infect lemurs could experience as much as a 60% increase in the range of their habitats. This also could mean that certain species of lemur could face parasite infections that were never a problem before. Warmer conditions speed reproduction for parasites, and of course increased parasitic activity on the island could also adversely affect human and livestock populations in addition to lemurs. The Duke researchers hope to be able to target potential outbreak hotspots to make response more efficient.
http://today.duke.edu/2013/01/barrettindiri
Oh no :( This reminds me of how warmer temperatures have allowed mosquitoes to expand their range in Hawaii and threaten native birds, which accounts for how native birds are mostly found in the most high altitude locations where mosquitoes don't live. Amy knows a bit more about this! But as sad as this is, the constant shifting of niches and interplay between species is a fascinating (inevitable?) part of ecology and conservation biology.
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