THE HELMINTHOFAUNA OF FARMED DEER (CERVIDAE) IN POLAND

The work involved the necropsy of 28 deer (9 red deer, 1 maral, 1 Eld' s deer, 1 Pere David's deer and 16 fallow deer), as well as coproscopi c study of several hundred faecal samples. A total of 23 nematode spec ies and one tapeworm species were discovered. All the deer studied had nematode infections in their abomasum and it was the number of such p arasites which was greatest (up to 17,960 individuals per deer). The r ichest species composition also related to abomasal nematodes, with 13 species noted. Of the parasites recorded, only two (O. drozdzi/O. ryj ikovi and S. suppereri) were first records for Poland, with the remain ing 21 being common parasites of deer inhabiting the country's open hu nting grounds. Evidence for the very considerable exchange of parasite s between red deer and fallow deer was noted and the co-occurrence of these species has clearly exerted a significant influence on their hel minthofaunas, whose species compositions are very similar. In spite of this, there are clear differences in the prevalence, intensity and pe rcentage index of intensity of some infections.