Survey of gastrointestinal parasites in wild boar (Sus scrofa), wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Aynaloo protected area, East Azerbaijan province

Parasitic infections are a threat to the wildlife by endangering the health of wild animals and serving as a source of transmission of infectious agents to livestock and humans. Despite the distribution of wild boars (Sus scrofa), wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) throughout the world, information on their parasitic infections is limited. Knowledge of the parasitic fauna of animals in protected areas may be used in protection of endangered species. The present study aimed to investigate the status of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in wild boar, wild goat and red deer in the Aynaloo protected area, Northwest of Kaleybar city, East Azerbaijan province. For this purpose, in spring 2015, 30 fecal samples of wild boar, 30 fecal samples of wild goat and 30 fecal samples of red deer were collected. The samples were processed using direct smear and Clayton lane floatation technique. Five species of helminths were detected from wild boar fecal samples consisting of Trichuris suis, Strongyloides suis, Physocephalus sexalatus, Ascaris suum and Metastrongylus apri. Among them,  one species (Strongyloides suis) was reported for the first time in Iran. Protozoa were not detected in the fecal samples of the wild boar. Wild goats were infected with Oesophagostomum columbianum, Muellerius capillaris and Eimeria spp. Respiratory larva and Eimeria spp. were detected from red deer samples.