Occurrence, Intensity and Parasite Composition of Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites in Walia Ibex (Capra walie) at Semien Mountains National Park, Natural World Heritage Site, Northern Ethiopia

Across-sectional study was conducted from November 2010 to August 2012 to determine the prevalence, intensity and parasite composition of gastrointestinal (GI) helminth parasites in free-ranging Walia ibex (Capra walie) at the Simen Mountains National Park (SMNP), northern Ethiopia. A total 167 fresh faecal samples were collected from the ground and examined using standard parasitological procedures to recover helminth eggs/larvae. The overall prevalence of helminth infection was 85.62% of which 85.02% presented nematodes and 7.18%cestodes. Coccidian oocysts were also detected. Trematode species (spp) were not recovered. The commonly detected nematodes by larval identification were Trichostrongylus spp., Cooperia spp., Strongyloides spp., Ostertagia spp., Haemonchus spp., Bunostomum spp., Nematodirus spp., Oesophagostomum spp., Dictyocaulus spp., Muelerius spp. and Protostrongylus spp. Trichris spp., Ascarids spp.and Moniezia spp. eggs were also detected. Multiple parasitic infections were common (78.43%). The host range of many of the helminths found in the Walia ibex is broad and could serve as a potentially stable source of infection to domestic animals such as sheep, goats and cattle.So further studies on seasonal dynamics and transmission patterns between wildlife and domestic animals are required to design the appropriate worm control strategies.