Gastro-Intestinal Parasites of Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens Cuvier, 1825) and Livestocks in Community Forest of llam, Nepal

Abstract

Red Panda is endangered species of Nepal and its numbers are declining day by day. Present study was conducted to assess the possible parasitic sharing between Red Panda and livestocks population sharing the same pasture land. A total of 55 fresh fecal samples were collected by using line transect method and opportunistically from the elevation range 2200 to 4800m, which includes Red Panda(14), Cow(20) , Buffalo(1) ,Yak(2), Horse(5), Goat(9) and Sheep(4) from Illam Community forest area of Nepal. The collected faecal samples were preserved in 2.5% potassium dichromate and microscopically examined using direct smear and concentration methods. Prevalence of protozoan and helminthic parasites were found to be 100% in Red Panda. Among the protozoan, Sporozoa (64.28%) showed highest prevalent followed by Sarcodina (57.14%) and Litostomatea (14.28%). Among the helminth parasites, seven types of nematode were identified in which Oxyuris were reported in all the samples followed by Ascaris (57.14%), Trichostrongylus (50%), Strongyloides (50%), Trichuris (42.8%), Crenosoma (42.85%) and Hook Worm (35.7%). Multiple infection (78.57%) was more common in Red Panda followed by triple infection (21.42%) and double and single infection were absent. In case of livestock, almost equal prevalence of both protozoan (82.92%) and helminth (87.82%) parasites were recorded. Coccidian (60.97%) parasites were more prevalence in livestock followed by Sarcodina (21.95%) and Litostomatea (7.31%). Besides protozoan, eight genera of helminth parasites were recorded which includes; Oxyuris (87.8%), Ascaris (60.97%), Strongyloides (53.65%), Trichostrongylus (41.465), Hook Worm (39.02%) and Trichuris (31.70%), among nematode; Moniezia (14.63%) among cestode and Paraphiostomum (2.43%) among trematode. In case of mixed infection, multiple infections (73.17%) was more prevalence followed by triple (19.51%) and double infection (7.31%). Comparing the morphologically similar parasites, there were not statistically significant differences. However, some parasites were Red Panda specific and some were livestock specific.