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¹ Field Veterinary Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, 185th Street and Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460, USA;
² HelmWest Laboratory, 2108 Hilda Avenue, Missoula, Montana 59801, USA;
³ World Wildlife Fund, Dzanga-Sangha National Park, Bayanga, Central African Republic
⁶ Corresponding author (email: andreaf{at}vet.upenn.edu)

ABSTRACT:   A coprologic study of free-ranging western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at Bai Hokou, Dzangha-Ndoki National Park, Central African Republic (2°51'34''N, 16°28'03''E) was conducted from October 1999 to November 2000. All 75 fecal samples examined were positive for endoparasites, and each contained at least two species. Parasites present included two genera of amoebae, entodiniomorph ciliates, including Prototapirella gorillae, Troglodytella spp., and Gorillophilus thoracatus, a Balantidium-like organism, strongyle/trichostrongyle eggs (including a presumptive Mammomonogamus sp. and several other genera), Strongyloides sp., Probstmayria sp., a spirurid, a trichuroid, and several unidentified trematodes. Flagellates and cestodes were not found. Despite the presence of a variety of parasite genera, in general, levels of parasitism were low. These data provide baseline parasitologic data for this population as part of a comprehensive health-monitoring program. With the advent of ecotourism in this study area, continued monitoring is indicated for insuring the health of both gorillas and humans in the Bai Hokou study area.
  Key words:  Ecotourism, endoparasite, entodiniomorph ciliate, Gorilla gorilla, habituation, lowland gorillas, Mammomonogamus.

⁴ Current address: Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA;

⁵ Current address: Department of Animal Health, Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008, USA