Stories from the Field
Avian Haemoparasite in Kruger NP
The drivers and implications of avian haemoparasite infection in wild birds are complicated to understand and predict, especially in areas where infections are endemic and the parasites have co-evolved together with their hosts. Hear about the drivers of the prevalence of avian haemoparasite infections in the Kruger National Park and their impact on host immune response.
See how our findings reveal the complex relationship between parasites and their avian hosts in an Afrotropical environment. We will also discuss how undergraduate students can participate in similar ornithology research while participating in the African Ecology & Conservation semester study abroad program.
About the Speaker
Tino Pori, Guest Lecturer – OTS South Africa
Tino holds a MSc in Disease Ecology from the University of the Witwatersrand. He has interests in the interactions between animals and infections in the context of their environment and evolution particularly at human wildlife interfaces. His ultimate goal is to make efforts to understand the infection, transmission, and spread of diseases so as to monitor the virulence of organisms that threaten animal health. Tino also has a passion for human capital development. In this regard, he has worked with the Nsasani Trust on several courses. During this time, he is dedicated to inspiring creative thinking and the development of new skills to students. In his spare time, Tino enjoys hiking, cycling, and playing soccer.