Parasites of carnivorous mammals in Białowieza Primeval Forest.

BACKGROUND: Although the parasitofauna of wild carnivorous mammals in Poland is quite well recognized, there has been only one research carried on this issue so far in Białowieza Forest--the last lowland primeval forest of temperate zone in Europe.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve wild and two domestic species of carnivorous mammals are living in Białowieza Forest. In our work faeces or intestines of all of them except ermine (Mustela erminea) have been examined and parasites or their eggs (or oocysts) recorded. In total 222 faecal probes from 13 species and 11 intestines of weasels have been investigated.
RESULTS: All species of examined carnivorous mammals were infected with parasites. The most infected species has occurred red fox Vulpes vulpes (over 70% infected with parasites) meanwhile only about 30% of otters Lutra lutra were infected. We found at least three protozoan species, one trematode, one tapeworm and nine species of nematodes. Except trematode Alaria alata, all of them are reported for the first time from Białowieza Primeval Forest. Oocysts of coccidia have been found in faeces of nine host species, with the highest prevalence (29.4%) in badger. Six species of carnivorous mammals have been occurred infected with trematodes (highest prevalence 42.1% in wolves) and two with tapeworms (Diphyllobothrium latum with the prevalence 2.6% in otter and 31.6% in wolves). All examined host species were infected with nematodes (with prevalence from 14.7% in lynx to 72.7% in red fox). Results of our work should be treated as preliminary researches on the species composition of parasitic fauna invading carnivorous mammals in Białowieza Primeval Forest.