GI Parasites of Some Captive Animals in the Alipore Zoo, Kolkata, India : Taxonomy and Ecology

The gastrointestinal (GI) parasites always cause severe illness in Zoo animals where the animals are kept in small-range of area. The parasites like trematodes, cestodes, protozoans (coccidians,amoeboids,ciliates & flagellates), nematodes & acanthocephalas, are the common GI parasites found in the free ranging & captive animals. Although regular de-worming program is carried out at the Alipore Zoo randomly-twice annually for birds and 3 months alternatively for mammals in a year. In addition to this, a random stool test for the presence of parasites is also performed. The GI parasites remain a serious health problem in these captive animals (birds & mammals). The present study is designed for extensive investigation of GI parasites in 49 different vertebrate host species (23 mammals & 26 birds) captivated at one of the oldest , well managed Zoological Garden based on stool examination for consecutive 3 yrs, from March, 2007- February, 2010, on monthly basis. The present book deals with the diversity of gastrointestinal parasitic load (helminths and protozoans) of the selected mammals and birds in captivity at Alipore Zoological Garden, Kolkata, West Bengal,India