Parasites are ecological dark matter – and they need protecting

By Timothy Brown, PhD Candidate, Extinction Studies, University of Leeds
Andrew Cunningham, Professor of Wildlife Epidemiology & Deputy Director of Science, Zoological Society of London
Simon Goodman, Lecturer in Evolutionary Biology, University of Leeds

The two species of African rhinoceros are conservation icons. Large, charismatic, and vitally important for their ecosystems, to lose either species would be a devastating blow.

But what of their parasites? If the black and white rhinoceros went extinct, so too would four species of host-specific tick that call the rhinos their home – should we not also be worried about their extinction?

This provocative question was first raised over 30 years ago and presents…

Read complete article

~	Independents took cities by storm last election. This time, they’ve got regional Australia in their sights

~	5 years since COVID was declared a pandemic, we’re still poorly prepared for the next one

~	Replacing stamp duty with a land tax could save home buyers big money. Here’s how

~	What can you do if your child is being bullied?

~	Can playing games like Wordle help improve work and workplaces?

~	Quantum technologies are changing our world – what does NZ need to be part of the next revolution?

~	Do cats have ‘friends’, or do they always vie for territory? Animal experts weigh in

~	How do you solve a problem like Louis-Ferdinand Céline?

~	Campus encampments and protests are a sign of failed university governance

~	‘Pandemic babies’ turn 5: Here’s what research tells us about their development and remarkable resilience