Singh, Vidya SagarNiranjan, Anuruddha Singh2018-07-052018-07-052017-07http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810057339The present research was conducted to study the prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites in the Zoo animals at Zoological Park, Nainital and Kanpur. A total of 333 faecal samples (99 samples from Nainital, Zoo and 234 samples from Kanpur, Zoo) were randomly collected. The overall prevalence of parasitic infection were 28.28% and 32.05% whereas, prevalence of helminths, protozoans and mixed infection were 20.20%, 7.07%, 1.01% and 20.94%, 8.11%, 2.99% for Zoological Parks, Nainital and Kanpur respectively. The results for Zoological Park, Nainital indicated that the helminth infections were more compared to protozoans and mixed infection in herbivores, carnivores and some birds. The prevalence of helminths and protozoans in carnivores were 20.83%, 4.16% respectively and for herbivores were 27.77%, 16.66% and mixed infection 5.55% respectively. Gastrointestinal parasites (eggs/cysts/oocysts) identified in herbivores were Strongyle sp., Capillaria sp. (11.11%), Trichuris sp., Muellerius sp. (5.55%) and Eimeria sp. (16.66%). EPG/CPG/OPG ranged from 100 to 500. Gastrointestinal parasites (eggs/cysts/oocysts) identified in carnivores were Toxocara cati (12.50%), Toxocara canis (8.33%) and Isospora sp.(4.16%). EPG/CPG/OPG ranged from 150 to 450. Common Peafowls were found positive with Ascaridia galli (18.18%) and Eimeria sp. (3.63%). The results for Zoological Park, Kanpur indicated that the helminth infections were more than protozoan and mixed infection in herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and non-human primates. The prevalence of helminths, protozoans and mixed infection in carnivores were 34.42%, 6.55% and 3.27% respectively, for herbivores, 16.93%, 4.83% and 3.22% repectively, for non-human primates 13.33% and 20%. Gastrointestinal parasites (eggs/cysts/oocysts) identified in herbivores were Amphistome (2.41%), Fasciola sp. (1.61%), Trichuris sp. (3.22%), Strongyle sp., Strongyloides sp., Oesophagostomum sp., Trichostrongylus sp.(2.41%) and Eimeria sp. (4.83%). EPG/CPG/OPG was ranged from 50to350. Gastrointestinal parasites (eggs/cysts/oocysts) identified in carnivores were Ancylostoma sp. (8.19%), Toxocara cati (8.19%), Strongyloides sp. (6.55%), Trichuris sp. (4.91%) Toxocara canis (3.27%), Toxascaris leonina (1.63%), Spirometra sp. (1.63%) and Isospora sp. (6.55%). EPG/CPG/OPG were ranged from 100 to 600. Gastrointestinal parasites (eggs/cysts/oocysts) identified in non-human primates were Strongyloides sp. (13.33%) and Eimeria sp. (20%). EPG/CPG/OPG were ranged from 200 to 350. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection in the present study was 30.93% with 21.02% samples positive with helminths, 7.80% samples positive with protozoans and 2.10% samples positive with mixed infection. The overall prevalence of helminths, protozoans and mixed infection in herbivore were 18.30%, 6.33% and 3.52%, in carnivores were 30.58%, 5.88% and 2.35%, in non-human primates helminths and protozoan prevalence were 12.76% and 21.27% and in wild birds were 18.18% and 3.63% respectively. The overall prevalence of helminths in omnivores was 0.60%. There was no protozoan and mixed infection. Looking to the incidence of gastro-intestinal parasites kept in captivity it can be concluded that there is a need for detailed epidemiological investigation on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites by regular screening of faecal samples in Zoo animals with respect to season, age, climate etc. Based on the prevalence of parasites deworming with suitable anthelmintic is required. Proper hygienic measures for the control of different stages of parasites need to be taken care of so as to reduce the parasitic infection in Zoo animals.ennullThesis