INCIDENCE OF GASTRO INTESTINAL PARASITES IN NILGIRITAHR (Nilgiri tragushylocrius) IN HABITATS ACROSS WESTERN GHATS IN KERALA

Abstract

The Nilgiri tahr is the caprine ungulate endemic to Western Ghats and the species is endangered due to isolated small population and fragmented habitats. To study the interaction of the species with its parasites, faecal samples of the species were collected from three habitats in the Western Ghats in Kerala. The samples were collected in three seasons of summer, monsoon and post monsoon and examined by direct microscopic method, sedimentation method and floatation method. Overall incidence of parasitismwas 38.9 per cent andthere was significant difference between the habitats in percentage of incidence. Incidence ofstrongyle was the highest (34.3%) followed by coccidia (15.5%) Capillaria, Moniezia, Trichuris and Strongyloides. The incidence trend across seasons revealed a higher incidence in monsoon (58.9%), followed by that in summer (40%) and the least in postmonsoon (17.8%) with significant difference between the seasons.

Keywords

• nilgiri tahr
• strongyle
• coccidia
• western ghats