PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES OF MONKEYS (ANTHROPOIDEA) AT PANDAM WILDLIFE PARK, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA.

A study to evaluate the prevalence of common gastrointestinal parasites of monkeys (Anthropoidea) at Pandam Wildlife Park, Plateau State, Nigeria zvas conducted betzveen April and August, 2006. Fifty-one faecal samples from three different locations at the park were collected and examined by formol-cther concentration method. Thirty-two of the samples were identified to be those of Tantalus Monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) while nineteen were for Baboons (Papio anubis). Forty seven of the samples constituting 92.2% were positive for intestinal parasites. Seven species of gastrointestinal parasites were encountered in the following proportions: Entamoeba histolytica (27.7%), hookworm (10.6%), Ascaris lumbricoides (17.0%), Enterobius vermicularis (4.3%), Physaloptera spp. (2.1%) and Strongyloides spp. (17.0%). Cases of mixed infections were those of E. histolytica and hookworm (4.3%), E. histolytica/S trongyloidcs (2.1%). The findings of this research show that intestinal parasites are endemic among Baboons and Tantalus Monkeys at Pandam Wildlife Park. The implications of this resultf orzvildlife conservation, ccotorism and fiational development are discussed