Abstract
We evaluated the gastrointestinal parasitic prevalence and intensity of wild ungulates in the Hemis National Park of Ladakh by examining their fresh faecal samples. A total of 327 fresh faecal samples from three wild ungulates, blue sheep Pseudois nayaur (n = 127), Ladakh urial Ovis vignei vignei (n = 110), and Himalayan ibex Ibex siberica (n = 90) were collected between June 2021 and May 2022. The techniques of flotation and sedimentation were used to find parasite eggs and oocysts from the faecal samples. Out of 327 samples examined, 165 samples were infected with gastrointestinal parasites making an overall prevalence of 50.45%. Seven parasitic taxa, including one protozoan (Eimeria spp.), five nematodes (Nematodirus spp., Strongyloides spp., Haemonchus sp., Trichuris sp., and Trichostrongylus spp.), and one cestode (Monezia spp.), were found during the current investigation. Mixed infection was reported in 36 (11%) of the total examined samples. The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was found to be highest in blue sheep (55.11%), followed by Ladakh urial (49.09%) and Himalayan ibex (45.55%). The highest prevalence was recorded in the summer (64.42%), and the lowest in the winter (33.82%). A significant difference in parasitic prevalence was observed across seasons in each of the three wild ungulate hosts. However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of parasites between these hosts.
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Acknowledgements
We are thankful to the University Grants Commission (UGC) for providing grants under the UGC-JRF fellowship scheme. The authors duly acknowledge the Department of Zoology, University of Kashmir for providing laboratory and other facilities. Our sincere thanks go to the Department of Wildlife Protection Leh Ladakh for providing the necessary permission for the smooth conduct of this work.
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Zazay, J., Bhat, B.A., Tak, H. et al. Gastrointestinal parasites of the wild ungulates (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla) in the Hemis National Park, Ladakh, India. J Parasit Dis 48, 134–140 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-024-01652-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-024-01652-8