Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra Linnaeus, 1758) of Blackbuck Conservation Area, Khairapur, Bardia, Nepal

TL;DR

This study found that 96% of blackbuck in Nepal had gastrointestinal parasites, highlighting the need for parasite monitoring in conservation efforts.

Contribution

The study reports high prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in blackbuck, emphasizing their potential impact on wildlife health.

Findings

Gastrointestinal parasites were found in 96% of blackbuck, with no significant sex-based difference in prevalence.

Ten parasite genera were identified, with Paramphistomum sp. being the most common.

Mixed infections were common, with triple infections being the most prevalent.

Abstract

Blackbuck is a species of antelope native to the Indian subcontinent. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, diversity, and concurrency of gastrointestinal parasites in the blackbuck population of the Blackbuck Conservation Area in Nepal.

A total of 150 blackbuck faecal samples were collected and examined using the iodine wet mount and concentration technique.

The findings showed that gastrointestinal parasites were prevalent in 96% of the population, with a higher frequency in females than males. There was no significant statistical association between sex and parasite prevalence across genera (χ
2 = 9.141, p > 0.05). Ten different genera of parasites belonging to protozoa, cestode, trematode, and nematode groups were identified. Paramphistomum sp. was the most common, with 55.33% of the cases followed by Strongyloides sp. (52%), Fasciola sp. (36%), Haemonchus sp. (26%), Moniezia sp. (24%), Trichostrongylus sp. (21.33%), Eimeria sp. (19.33%), Entamoeba sp. (15.33%), Ascaris sp. (8.67%), and Trichuris sp. (7.33%). The study revealed mixed infections ranging from one to six genera in each sample, with triple infections being the most prevalent. Most blackbucks exhibited light infection, while five specific parasite types showed heavy infection levels.

The identification of a significant prevalence and variety of gastrointestinal parasites indicates that parasitism may be an overlooked factor affecting the health of the blackbuck population. This emphasizes the importance of integrating parasite monitoring into wildlife health and conservation efforts.

A. Eimeria sp. (31×18 µm, 400x)

B. Entamoeba sp. (43×37 µm, 400x)

C. Moniezia sp.(63µm, 400x)

D. Fasciola sp. (132×78 µm, 400x)

E. Paramphistomum sp. (137×81 µm, 400x)

F. Trichostrongylus sp. (92×39 µm, 400x)

G. Ascaris sp. (48×31µm, 400x)

H. Haemonchus sp. (77×46 µm, 400x)

I. Trichuris sp. (72×29 µm, 400x)

J. Strongyloides sp. (87×56 µm, 400x)

K. Strongyloides larva

Figures