Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in free-ranging Red Panda Ailurus fulgens Cuvier, 1825 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Ailuridae) in Nepal

Article Sidebar

PDF/A HTML
Published: Jun 26, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o4208.7460-4
Keywords:
Angiostrongylus, Baylisascaris, conservation, Cyclospora, molluscs, Red Panda, Trichuris.

Main Article Content

Sonam Tashi Lama
Global Primate Network, GPO Box: 26288, Kathmandu, Nepal; and Red Panda Network, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Rinzin Phunjok Lama
Global Primate Network, GPO Box: 26288, Kathmandu, Nepal
Ganga Ram Regmi
Global Primate Network, GPO Box: 26288, Kathmandu, Nepa
Tirth Raj Ghimire
Department of Zoology, Birendra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Chitwan, Nepal

Abstract

The Red Panda Ailurus fulgens is a small carnivore that is adapted to a mainly herbivorous diet.  The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of parasitic infections in a free-ranging population of Red Pandas in a community forest in Nepal.  A total of 23 faecal samples were collected and examined.  Protozoa infections were the most common and cestode infections occurred the least.  Our findings suggest that parasites might be a significant problem for the health of the Red Pandas in the study area.  Molecular methods should be used to further investigate the taxonomic position of the parasites and their role in threatening the resilience of Red Panda populations in Nepal. 

 

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 7 No. 8 (2015)
Section
Short Communications

Authors own the copyright to the articles published in JoTT.  This is indicated explicitly in each publication. The authors grant permission to the publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society to publish the article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The authors recognize WILD as the original publisher, and to sell hard copies of the Journal and article to any buyer. JoTT is registered under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), which allows authors to retain copyright ownership.  Under this license the authors allow anyone to download, cite, use the data, modify, reprint, copy and distribute provided the authors and source of publication are credited through appropriate citations (e.g., Son et al. (2016). Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(7): 8953–8969. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2785.8.7.8953-8969). Users of the data do not require specific permission from the authors or the publisher.

References

Bertelsen, M.F., F. Meyland-Smith, J.L. Willesen, R. Jefferies, E.R. Morgan & J. Monrad (2010). Diversity and prevalence of metastrongyloid nematodes infecting the Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) in European zoos. Veterinary Parasitology 172 (3–4): 299–304; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.04.043

Bolt, G., J. Monrad, P. Henriksen, H.H. Dietz, J. Koch, E. Bindseil & A.L. Jensen (1992). The Fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a reservoir for canine angiostrongylosis in Denmark. Field survey and experimental infections. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 33: 357–362.

Choudhury, A. (2001). An overview of the status and conservation of the Red Panda Ailurus fulgens in India, with reference to its global status. Oryx 35(3): 250–259; http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3008.2001.00181.x

Eberhard, M.L., N.J. Pieniazek & M.J. Arrowood (1997). Laboratory diagnosis of Cyclospora infections. Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 121: 792–797.

Ghimire, T.R. & J.B. Sherchan (2006). Human infection of Cyclospora cayetanensis: A review on its medico-biological and epidemiological pattern in global scenario. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council 4 (2): 25–40.

Gonzalez-Suarez, M. & E. Revilla (2014). Generalized drivers in the mammalian endangerment process. PLoS ONE 9(2): e90292; http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090292

Grondahl, C., J. Monrad, H.H. Dietz, H.E. Jensen, M.V. Johansen & C. Kapel (2005). Angiostrongylosis in Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens). International Symposium. Paper presented at Internationalen Symposiums über die Erkrankungen der Zoo- und Wildtiere, Erkrankungen der Zootiere, Prag, Czech Republic.

Johnson, K., G. Schaller & J. Hu (1988). Comparative behavior of Red and Giant Pandas in the Wolong Reserve, China. Journal of Mammology 69: 13.

Kramer, M.H., G.J. Greer, J.F. Quinonez, N.R. Padilla, B. Hernandez, B.A. Arana, R. Lorenzana, P. Morera, A.W. Hightower, M.L. Eberhard & B.L. Herwaldt (1998). First reported outbreak of abdominal angiostrongyliasis. Clinical Infectious Diseases 26: 365–372.

Montali, R.J., M. Roberts, R.A. Freeman & M. Bush (1984).

Pathology survey of the Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens), pp. 128–140. In: Ryder, O.A. & M.L. Byrd (eds.). One Medicine. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg.

Nowak, R.M. (1999). Walker’s Mammals of The World. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Patterson-Kane, J.C., L.M. Gibbons, R. Jefferies, E.R. Morgan, N. Wenzlow & S.P. Redrobe (2009). Pneumonia from Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in a Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens). Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 21: 270–273.

Pedersen, A.B., K.E. Jones, C.L. Nunn & S. Altizer (2007). Infectious diseases and extinction risk in wild mammals. Conservation Biology 21: 1269–1279.

Pradhan, S., G.K. Saha & J.A. Khan (2001). Ecology of the Red Panda Ailurus fulgens in the Singhalila National Park, Darjeeling, India. Biological Conservation 98(1): 11–18.

Smith, K.F., D.F. Sax & K.D Lafferty (2006). Evidence for the role of infectious disease in species extinction and endangerment. Conservation Biology 20: 1349–1357; http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00524.x

Steffens, E. (2004). Red Pandas and Conservation, Political Ecology, Tenure, Livestock, and Hunting in High Altitude Forests of Nepal. University of Wisconsin-Madison, 278pp.

Sutherland, W.J. (1996). Ecological Census Techniques: A Handbook. Cambridge University Press, 336pp.

Traversa, D. (2011). Are we paying too much attention to cardio-pulmonary nematodes and neglecting old-fashioned worms like Trichuris vulpis? Parasites and Vectors 4: 32; http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-4-32

Wang, X., A. Choudhury, P. Yonzon, C. Wozencraft & T. Zaw (2008). Ailurus fulgens. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.1. . Downloaded on 18 June 2015.

Wei, F., Z. Feng, Z. Wang & J. Hu (1999). Current distribution, status and conservation of wild Red Pandas Ailurus fulgens in China. Biological Conservation 89: 285–291.

Williams, B. (2006). Red Panda in eastern Nepal: how does it fit into ecoregional conservation of the eastern Himalaya? Conservation Biology in Asia, Society for Conservation Biology and Resources Himalaya, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Yonzon, P.B. (1989). Ecology and Conservation of the Red Panda in the Nepal-Himalayas. PhD Thesis. University of Maine.

Yonzon, P.B. & M.L. Hunter (1991). Cheese, tourists, and Red Pandas in the Nepal Himalaya. Conservation Biology 5: 196–202.

Zanini, G.M. & C. Graeff-Teixeira (1995). Abdominal angiostrongyliasis: its prevention by the destruction of infecting larvae in food treated with salt, vinegar or sodium hypochlorite. The Journal of the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine 28: 389–392.

Zhang, J.S., P. Daszak, H.L. Huang, G.Y. Yang, A.M. Kilpatrick & S. Zhang (2008). Parasite threat to panda conservation. Ecohealth 5: 6–9.