Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026
09:47
Spotting Cheetahs: Identifying Individuals by Their Footprints
Published on: May 1, 2016
Gousiekte in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer).
J A Lawrence1, C M Foggin, L Prozesky
1Pathology Section, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa. john.lawrence@up.ac.za
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
|January 21, 2011
Summary
Three African buffalo died from gousiekte, a heart condition caused by consuming Pavetta schumanniana. The stress of translocation likely worsened the effects of the plant poisoning, leading to fatal cardiac failure.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Toxicology
- Wildlife Health
Background:
- Gousiekte is a cardiac condition in ruminants caused by Pavettoxin A found in Pavetta species.
- African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) are susceptible to various toxicities, impacting wildlife populations.
Observation:
- Three African buffalo from Mutirikwe Recreational Park exhibited lesions consistent with cardiomyopathy.
- These animals had access to Pavetta schumanniana, a known etiological agent of gousiekte.
Findings:
- Macroscopic and microscopic examination confirmed cardiomyopathy, indicative of gousiekte.
- Cardiac failure was diagnosed as the cause of death, linked to Pavetta schumanniana ingestion.
Implications:
- Highlights the risk of plant-induced toxicities in wildlife, particularly during stressful events like translocation.
- Underscores the importance of identifying and managing toxic plant exposure in conservation programs for African buffalo.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
00:53Migration
Migration is long-range, seasonal movement from one region or habitat to another. This common strategy, carried out by many different organisms around the world, is an adaptive response that typically corresponds to changes in an organism’s environment, like resource availability or climate. Migrations can involve huge groups of thousands of animals as well as single individuals traveling alone and can range from thousands of kilometers to just a few hundred meters.
01:46Types of Selection
Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
01:50What is Monogastric Digestion?
The human body contains a monogastric digestive system. In a monogastric digestive system, the stomach only contains one chamber in which it digests food. Several other animal species also have monogastric digestive systems, including pigs, horses, dogs, and birds. This chapter, however, focuses on the human digestive system.
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
00:48Optimal Foraging
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...