Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in red deer Gazella subgutturosa in Al–Masad deer protectorate in Al–Rutba city

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the gastrointestinal parasites in 50 adult red deer Gazella subgutturosa in Al – Masad protectorate in Al – Rutba city – west of Iraq – during winter. The morbidity rate was reached to 32% , Nematodes seem to be the predominant, where they reported in 14%, while the Cystodes, Trematodes and Protozoa were reported in 4% , 6% and 8% of deer, respectively. For the first time in Iraq, the eggs of Nematodirus helvetianus , Chabertia ovina, Oesophagostomum columbianum, Oxyuris spp, Dicrocoelum lanceolatum، and Moniezia benedeniand oocysts of Eimeria spp were identified in 4, 1,1,1, 3,2 and 4 deer , respectively.It is concluded that the parasitic infestation is prevalent among Iraqi deer , even in winter , and the nematodes are more prevalent worms in Iraq.