Intestinal parasites in free-living Puma concolor

ABSTRACT

Background: Studies on intestinal parasites in cougars Puma concolor are scarce, and most of the available information on the species has been derived from individuals in captivity. One of the greatest threats to the survival of wild cats is habitat loss caused by urban sprawl, agricultural matrix, and linear developments such as highways and railways, which expose animals to direct contact with humans and to a high risk of death. Given the lack of scientific data the objective of this study was to report on the occurrence of intestinal parasites in a cougar (P. concolor) specimen from the northwestern region of Paraná State, Brazil. Case The carcass of a free-living cougar (P. concolor) individual was sent to the Interdisciplinary Science Museum (Museu Interdisciplinar de Ciências - MIC) of Paranaense University (Universidade Paranaense - UNIPAR); an individual was killed during a collision with an unidentified vehicle on highway PR-486, in the municipality of Mariluz (PR, Brazil). The geographical coordinates of the location where the animal was found are 23°59′29″S, 53°8′47″W. This region is characterized by semi-deciduous seasonal forest remnants. After being identified on site and collected by the inspectors of the Paraná Environmental Institute (Instituto Ambiental do Paraná - IAP), the cadaver was donated to the MIC (by the IAP) for a necropsy to elucidate the cause of death. In this context, the cadaver was sent to the Animal Pathology section of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at UNIPAR. The animal was necropsied by performing the standard necropsy technique for carnivores opening the intestine through the mesentery and exposing the mucosa from the duodenum to the colon...