engleski

Gastrointestinal parasites of wild badger (Meles meles) at Medvednica Nature Park – preliminary results

Badger (Meles meles) is autochthonous game species in Croatia from the family of Mustelidae. Despite being carnivore, badgers is in fact omnivorous and opportunistic species, whose diet is mainly composed of plants, fruits, arthropods and invertebrates. Whole carcasses of badgers were collected as part of wildlife diseases monitoring at the area of Medvednica Nature Park. In total 13 animals were analysed, of them 8 males and 5 females. Following the necropsy, whole digestive system was extracted from each animal, incised with special scissors and content was flushed with water through sieves with different mesh size. Observed parasites were stored in Falcon tubes with alcohol, while remaining sediment was collected separately and analysed under microscope. Parasites were identified using morphological keys. Prevalence of positive animals was 92.3%, of them 7 males were positive (P=87.5%) and all females (P=100%). One animal was parasite free. We have determined 5 parasite species, including 4 cestode species (Atriotaenia incisa, Taenia sp., Diphyllobothrium sp. and Mesocestoides sp.) and 1 nematode species (Uncinaria criniformis). Cestodes A. incisa was determined in 10 animals (P=76.9%), Taenia sp., Mesocestoides sp. and Diphyllobothrium sp. were found in 2 animals each (P=15.4%). U. criniformis was determined in 11 animals (P=84.6%). Obtained preliminary results offer insight into parasitic fauna of the gastrointestinal system of badgers at Medvednica Nature Park. Some of determined parasites are potentially zoonotic pathogens.

badger, gastrointestinal system, cestodes, nematode, Madvednica Nature Park

nije evidentirano