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European Journal of Wildlife Research

, Volume 57, Issue 4, pp 923–927 | Cite as

Endoparasites in the endangered Fennoscandian population of arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus)

  • Tomas Meijer
  • Roland Mattsson
  • Anders Angerbjörn
  • Eva Osterman-Lind
  • Xavier Fernández-Aguilar
  • Dolores Gavier-Widén
Original Paper
First Online:

Abstract

The Fennoscandian arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population is endangered due to overharvest and competition with the larger red fox (Vulpes vulpes). In this study, we have screened the population in Sweden for endoparasites by analysis of non-invasively faecal samples collected at reproductive dens during two summers, one with low food abundance (2008) and the other with high food abundance (2010). Eggs, larvae and oocysts of a total of 14 different endoparasites were identified with a species richness per inhabited den of 3.2 (CI95% ± 0.48) in 2008 and 2.7 (CI95% ± 0.72) in 2010. Capillariidae-like eggs was identified at 59% of the dens in 2008 and 57% in 2010 and Toxocara canis with 7% (2008) and 30% (2010); Toxascaris leonina with 93% (2008) and 65% (2010); Uncinaria stenocephala 65% (2008) and 39% (2010); Crenosoma vulpis 3% (2008) and 4% (2010); Trichuris sp. 7% (2008) and 4% (2010); Cystoisospora canis-like oocysts 28% (2008) and 26% (2010); Cystoisospora ohiensis-like oocysts 38% (2008) and 4% (2010); Eimeria sp. 7% (2008) and 9% (2010); Sarcocystis sp. 3% (2008) and 9% (2010); Taenia sp. 10% (2008) and 4% (2010); Mesocestoides sp. 3% (2008) and 0% (2010); Balantidium sp. 0% (2008) and 9% (2010) and Spiruroidea-like eggs 0% (2008) and 4% (2010). To our knowledge, Balantidium sp., Sarcocystis sp. and Trichuris sp. has never been described before in wild arctic foxes.

Keywords

Alopex lagopus Parasites Conservation Wildlife disease Sweden 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

The County board administration in Jämtland with L. Liljemark, H. Berglund and L. Back. This study was financed by Swedish environmental protection agency, EU LIFE (SEFALO+), WWF Sweden, Fjällräven AB, International Polar Year and with logistical support from Swedish Polar Research Secretary and the Swedish research council.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • Tomas Meijer
    • 1
  • Roland Mattsson
    • 2
  • Anders Angerbjörn
    • 1
  • Eva Osterman-Lind
    • 3
  • Xavier Fernández-Aguilar
    • 2
  • Dolores Gavier-Widén
    • 2
    • 4
  1. 1.Department of ZoologyStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
  2. 2.Department of Pathology and Wildlife DiseasesNational Veterinary Institute (SVA)UppsalaSweden
  3. 3.Department of Virology, Immunobiology and ParasitologyNational Veterinary Institute (SVA)UppsalaSweden
  4. 4.Department of Biomedical Sciences and VeterinaryPublic Health University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)UppsalaSweden

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