Multiple infestations of gastrointestinal parasites - Probable cause for high mortality of Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) at Kokrebellur Community Reserve, India.

ABSTRACT: We witnessed mortalities of Spot-billed Pelicans Pelecanus philippensis between December 2017 and May 2018 in Mandya and Mysuru districts of Karnataka, especially at Kokrebellur Community Reserve in Mandya district. The region has experienced severe drought in recent years with negligible water in all the water tanks. A total of 67 Spot-billed Pelicans died in five locations, of which 55 adult birds died at Kokrebellur. We collected four dead pelicans along with 97 fecal samples of live birds at Kokrebellur, water samples from nine water tanks around Kokrebellur, and six fish samples. We isolated the endoparasite eggs by following sedimentation and flotation technique, and counted the eggs from the water and fecal samples, and identified at the genus level using light microscope. We

SUBMITTER: Kumar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6463544 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature