MANGE DISEASE

ChinmayaIAS Academy - Current Affairs March 30, 2022 GS3 Leave a comment 560 Views

Recently a few Desert Foxes were spotted in the scrub forests of Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district, suffering from a loss of fur due to the Mange Skin Disease.
There were 8,331 foxes — both Indian and desert foxes — in the state according to the 2019 wildlife census of Rajasthan.

Desert Fox

White-footed fox
Vulpesvulpespusilla

Desert fox is the third sub-species of red fox in India.
Other two subspecies are: the Tibetan Red Fox and the Kashmir Red Fox.
They can be differentiated from other fox species by their white tail-tip. Beady eyes and a small snout give them an endearing, almost adorable look.
Its range does not overlap with that of other red fox sub-species.
Desert fox inhabits the dry and semi-arid regions of western and north-western India.
Desert foxes occupy less than half of their potential habitats in India.
Desert foxes can be found wandering around sand dunes and semi-dried river beds, where they build their dens.
They are omnivores consuming almost everything from berries and plants to desert rodents, insects, spiders, small birds, and lizards, like the spiny tail.
They are threatened by habitat loss, road-related mortality and negative interactions with free-ranging/domestic dogs.
Mange is a skin disease of animals caused by mite infestations, characterized by inflammation, itching, thickening of the skin, and hair loss.
The most severe form of mange is caused by varieties of the mite Sarcoptesscabiei, which also causes human scabies.
Some form of mange is known in all domestic animals, although many varieties of mange mites infest only one species.
They are transmitted between animals by direct contact and by objects that have been in contact with infested animals.
Most forms of mange are treatable.
When the infected animal scratches and the skin breaks, it lays eggs and multiplies. The affected area becomes scabbed and no hair grows there.