Comparative study of gastrointestinal parasites of wild ruminants and chauris in Langtang National Park, Rasuwa, Nepal

Abstract

The study was conducted from May to June 2014 in Langtang National Park to show the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in wild ruminants and chauris and compare the gastrointestinal parasites between wild ruminants and chauris. A total of 71 fecal samples including 16 from Himalayan Tahr, 31 from Barking Deer, 9 from Musk Deer and 15 from Chauri were collected. Fecal samples were preserved in a 50 ml vial with 10% ethylalcohol and analyzed by concentration method in the laboratory of Central Development of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu. Result revealed that the overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 85.92%. Seven species of parasites wereidentified with one protozoan (Eimeria sp.), four nematodes (Ascaris sp., strongyle,Strongyloides sp. andTrichuris sp.), one cestodes (Moniezia sp.) and one trematode(Paramphistomumsp.). Statistically it was found that the parasites of wild ruminants and chauri had no significance difference i.e. the parasites found in both ruminants were same. It was found that the parasites can transmit from wild ruminants to Chauri and viceversa. Contaminating the grazing land of wild ruminants by chauri was found to be one of the main reasons for presence of gastrointestinal parasites in wild ruminants. Besides these,presence of vectors or intermediate host may play the important role in transmitting the gastrointestinal parasites where moist and shady condition of Langtang National Park favoured the parasites viability. Controlling or restricting the grazing of domestic ruminants in the habitat of chauri is must to control the parasitic infection in wild ruminants and vice versa.