[The Influence of Habitat on the Occurrence of Parasites in Game Animals]

We studied the incidence of parasites of game animals under conditions of the individual habitats occupied by game animals. Our investigations were made both in the open field and in game reserves for several game species, and also in biotopes where game animals come into contact with domestic ruminants. We detected 72 nematode species in a total of 8 species of game animals. The results show that, the composition of the helminth fauna is influenced by conditions of the external environment, i. e., by the number of specimens, the extent of the biotope, contact with other animal species, the incidence of intermediate host, and by climatic and hydrological conditions. The contact between various host species, and their parasites has to last for a prolonged period, because it requires a certain length of time before the newly introduced host becomes a member of the original biocoenosis and adapts himself to such a degree that his parasites can infect other host species and he can receive their parasites (e. g., Fascioloides magna, Ashworthius sidemi).