GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITE FAUNA OF THE EUROPEAN BISON (BISON BONASUS) OF THE UST-KUBINSKY DISTRICT POPULATION IN THE VOLOGDA REGION

Abstract

The Ust-Кubinsky District group of the European bison (Bison bonasus) is introduced, allopatric in relation to the main areas of the bison, and unique in its biological and ecological features, and has about 130 animals of different age and sex groups freely inhabiting and reproducing in a sharply continental climate. Helminthofaunistic studies of the population have almost never been carried out before. The study describes the results of helminthovoscopic studies conducted using the Kotelnikov flotation method and direct sedimentation method (sequential washing). A total of 35 samples were studied. It was found that the gastrointestinal parasite fauna in the studied group was depleted and represented by nematodes of the suborder Strongylata (with the prevalence of invasion of 40%), and protozoa of the genus Eimeria (with the prevalence of invasion of 37.1%). Mixed invasion of both taxonomic groups of endoparasites was observed in 17%. This can be explained by the peculiarity of the trophic and chorological relations of the parasite host, the European bison, in the studied territory. It should be noted that these studies are preliminary, and it is necessary to conduct them in different periods of the year, particularly, in the summer-autumn, with animal groups separated by age, if possible, since it is known that the parasite fauna of young and adult animals can differ significantly.