Title
Gastrointestinal parasites in free-ranging Kenyan baboons (Papio cynocephalus and P. anubis)
Author(s)
Hahn N.E., Proulx D., Muruthi P.M., Alberts S., Altmann J.
Published
2003
Publisher
International Journal of Primatology
Abstract
We screened fecal samples from 3 groups of wild-living baboons (Papio cynocephalus and P. anubis), involved in longitudinal behavioral studies, for evidence of gastrointestinal parasites. The two objectives of the study were: 1) to compare parasites from two of the groups with different foraging behavior from the same area and 2) to obtain fecal parasitic data on 3 groups of baboons to provide baseline reference data. We sampled individual baboons opportunistically from Lodge and Hook's groups, Amboseli National Park and from Mpala Group, Mpala Wildlife Research Centre, Kenya, Lodge Group baboons supplemented foraging on wild foods by daily foraging in human-source refuse, whereas Hook's and Mpala groups did not. We collected fecal samples from 55, 30 and 42 individuals in Hook's, Lodge and Mpala groups, respectively, and processed them via ether sedimentation. We identified strongylids, Streptopharagus sp., Physaloptera sp., Trichuris sp., Enterobius sp., and Strongyloides sp., in the feces, but no parasite directly attributable to exposure to people. Garbage- and wild-feeding Amboseli baboons differed in the prevalence of Streptopharagus sp., Physaloptera sp. and Trichuris sp.
Keywords
diet; feces; foraging behavior; parasite; parasite infestation; primate; Kenya; Enterobius; Papio; Papio anubis; Papio cynocephalus; Papio hamadryas; Physaloptera; Primates; Strongylida; Strongyloidea; Strongyloides; Trichuris
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PUB12515