Parasites - An Important Obstacle In Acclimatization And Conservation Of The European Bison (Bison Bonasus Bonasus) In Romanian Armenis-Plopu Reserve

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of parasites and parasite cross-transmission on the welfare and health status of the newly re-introduced wisents. The study has been conducted in the Armenis-Plopu natural reserve, Caras- Severin County, located in the Tarcu Mountains (Carpathians), South-Western Romania. In order to establish the prevalence of parasites, several classical methods such as quantitative and qualitative flotation and sedimentation methods were used as well as blood tests for parasite screening such as ID Screen (R) Toxoplasmosis indirect test kit (ID VET, France) and blood smears. In both groups (2014 and 2015), the most frequent parasite was Eimeria spp. (47.06% - 78.15%), very few animals were positive for tapeworms (12.9%) and gastrointestinal nematodes (12.9%) including Toxocara spp (3.22%). Six serum samples were positive on anti-Toxoplasma tests (19.35%). Seven individuals (22.58%) showed completely negative results. The presence of parasites also common in farm animals can stand as proof of cross-transmission between wild/domestic herbivores and wisents, a factor which can impair their acclimatization and conservation.