Search

There are three native and two introduced ruminant species from deer family (Cervidae) living in wild in Poland. The native species (moose Alces alces, red deer Cervus elaphus and roe deer Capreolus capreolus) live also in the Kampinoski National Park, one of the greatest national parks in Poland, that consists of many different habitats such as various types of forest, swamps, meadows and also agricultural areas. Because of protection of this area by Polish and European law, the number of wild ruminants is high (about 350 mooses, 150 red deer and 2500 roe deer). The study was conducted in order to examine the composition of internal parasites of deer living in the Kampinoski National Park and to determine their frequency depending on the host species. From September 2014 to April 2015, 343 fecal samples (73 red deer, 133 moose and 137 roe deer) were collected. Standard flotation (using sodium chloride aqueous solution) and sedimentation methods were used, as well as Vajda method (to find expected larvae of lung−inhabiting nematodes). Coccidia from Eimeria genus, three species of trematodes, tapeworms from Moniezia genus, and various nematodes (families Trichostrongylidae and Protostrongylidae, genus Strongyloides, Nematodirus, Trichuris and Aonchotheca) were detected. Nematodes from Trichostrongylidae family have occurred the most frequent in all investigated deer species with the prevalence of 72.2% in moose, 52.1% in red deer and 48.9% in roe deer. Differences among hosts were statistically significant. The prevalence of other invasions has turned out much lower and without statistically significant differences between hosts, except from trematodes. The prevalence of all internal parasite invasions is high in all investigated deer species with the value 83.5%, 79.5% and 60.0% in moose, red deer and roe deer respectively. This high prevalence of parasitic infections is typical for wild ruminants and could be considered as a potential risk for domestic ruminants, because of similarity of the parasitofauna and possible migration of deer, particularly mooses., Sylwan 161 (4): 334-340