While the zebra is eating, the oxpecker lands on the zebras back and eats all the ticks and other parasites on the zebras back. The range of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) is patchily distributed across central and southern Africa in the Ethiopian Region.Remnant populations exist as far northwest as Guinea-Bissau and as far northeast as Ethiopia. Disjunct populations exist southward into northern South Africa, and include contiguous populations in Gabon, Tanzania, Botswana, and Zambia. While they do eat ticks sometimes, scientists discovered […] Geographic Range. Ex: liver tapeworm cysts are common parasites involved in a symbiosis with moose, caribou, and wolves. And the hippo provides protection for the oxpecker. Mutualism: Oxpeckers are birds that land on elephants, where they eat lice, ticks, and other parasites living on elephants' skin and hair. Commensalism: The Asian elephants have a symbiotic relationship of commensalism with the dung beetle. Symbiotic Relationships. January 2000 Kahl and Armstrong -- Urine drinking in African elephants 21 Future plans: Now that the African field-portion of the study is complete, we will analyze the data, primarily from video-tapes. Symbiotic Relationships Population Extra Biblio Mutualism. Mutualism- a symbiotic relationship where the host, and the symbiont are both benefitted, and no one is harmed. The Oxpecker is fed and the Zebra healthy and happy. In this relationship the oxpecker gets … People used to think it was the perfect symbiotic relationship (what’s called mutualism – a relationship where both species benefit), with the oxpecker snacking on the irritating ticks. It’s the African oxpecker bird that feeds off the backs of hippos, zebras and elephants. African Oxpeckers The African oxpecker is a bird that fooled scientists for a long time… They were often seen on the backs of elephants, hippos, zebras and other large African mammals and were thought to simply eat ticks and other parasites, thus creating a symbiotic relationship. Elephants and Baboons. Oxpecker birds (Buphagus erythrorhynchus), also called tickbirds, specialize in riding on large African animals, including rhinos and zebras, feeding on external parasites like the bot-fly larvae and ticks.The International Rhino Foundation describes how mynah birds serve the same role on rhinos in India. Hippo & Oxpecker The hippo and the oxpecker have a mutual relationship. Also when they're is danger around, the oxpecker fly's upward and screams as a warning which helps the zebra. So both the hippo and oxpecker benefit. Elephants are able to use their great tusks to dig into the ground and create a makeshift waterhole to quench their thirst. 2. The oxpecker lives on the hippo and eats all the parasites living on the hippo. The savanna can be a dry and arid place, with water sources few and far between. Parasitism- a symbiotic relationship where only the symbiont benefits, and the host is harmed.