Intestinal Parasites Found in the Research Group of Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Abstract

Mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) are critically endangered, remaining only in two isolated populations in Central Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and intensity of intestinal parasites in a single group of mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda over 7 weeks from June to August 2000. Fecal samples were collected from night nests and transported in formalin for examination at Cornell University and the Centers for Disease Control. All fecal samples were examined microscopically for parasitic larvae, cysts, and eggs. The following were found: strongylid eggs, Probstymaria sp. larvae, and two parasitic nematode larvae that were not identified. Additional examination techniques will be used to further examine the fecal material specifically for protozoan cysts. An increasing threat to this group of gorillas is the presence of local field assistants and researchers. We found no evidence of human parasites in the fecal samples from this gorilla group.

Lack of Rule-Adherence During Mountain Gorilla Tourism Encounters in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, Places Gorillas at Risk From Human Disease

“…Benefits beyond revenue generation include protection of gorillas and their habitats, daily monitoring to identify any gorilla health issues, and facilitation of detailed research on behavior and ecology offering enhanced understanding of population dynamics including births, deaths, and dispersal patterns [e.g., (4,11,12)]. Costs of habituation include reduced avoidance of humans (13), potentially increasing the likelihood of crop raiding and/or susceptibility to poaching [e.g., (14)(15)(16)], and increased risk of disease spread by close proximity with humans and livestock (5,7,(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). This risk is intensified by the high number of international visitors, generating potential for exposure to foreign infections to which local humans and great apes lack resistance (21,(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31).…”

“…It has been well-documented that the profitable gorilla tourism industry promoted to facilitate continued protection of gorillas increases health risks by bringing thousands of people into close contact with endangered apes (7,17,18,21,(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39). Indeed, the close genetic relationship that gorillas share with humans renders them highly susceptible to human-borne illnesses, to which they have limited or no immunity (17,21,22,35).…”

Parasitological analyses of the male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda

“…The fruits of these combined interests are a number of published field studies of intestinal parasites in natural populations of primates, including free-ranging Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) [Kessler et al, 1984]; Costa Rican squirrel monkeys (Saimiri oerstedi) [Appleton & Boinski, 1991]; muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides) and brown howling monkeys (Alouatta fusca) in southeastern Brazil [Stuart et al, 1993]; mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata) at La Selva Biological Reserve in northeastern Costa Rica [Stoner, 1996]; vervets (Cercopithecus aethiops) and sykes (Cercopithecus mitis) near Nairobi, Kenya ]; sykes (Samango monkeys) (Cercopithecus mitis labiatus) in Natal, South Africa [Appleton et al, 1994]; vervets, sykes, black and white colobus (Colobus abyssinicus), Debrazzas monkeys (Cercopithecus neglectus) [see also Karere & Munene, 2002], and gray and black mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus and Cercocebus albigena) in rural Kenya ]; sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi) at Beza Mahafaly, Madagascar [Muehlenbein et al, 2003]; chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) [Goldsmid & Rogers, 1978]; olive baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) [Muller-Graf et al, 1996;Munene et al, 1998;Muriuki et al, 1998]; bonobos (Pan paniscus) in Zaire [Hasegawa et al, 1983]; and gorillas (Gorilla sp.) in Gabon and Uganda [Ashford et al, 1990;Landsoud-Soukate et al, 1995;Rothman et al, 2002].…”

Intestinal Parasites of Free-ranging, Semicaptive,and Captive Pongo abelii in Sumatra, Indonesia

“…(Ashford et al 1990(Ashford et al , 1996Durette-Desset et al 1992;Freeman et al 2004;Hastings et al 1992;Kalema 1995;Kalema-Zikusoka et al 2002;LandsoudSoukate et al 1995;Lilly et al 2002;Mudakikwa et al 1998Mudakikwa et al , 2001Nizeyi et al 1999;Rothman et al 2002;Sleeman et al 2000;van Waerebeke et al 1988) and Pan spp. (Ashford et al 2000;File et al 1976;Hasegawa et al 1983;Holmes 1980;Huffman et al 1997;Hugot 1993;Kawabata and Nishida 1991;Kim et al 1978;Landsoud-Soukate et al 1995;Lilly et al 2002;McGrew et al 1989;Murray et al 2000;Schmidt and Prine 1970;Smith et al 1996;van Waerebeke et al 1988;Wrangham 1995).…”