Assessing the impact of Livestock Grazing on Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites Levels and Gastrointestinal Parasites in Himalayan Ibex in Spiti Valley, Western Himalayas

Livestock grazing in protected areas is considered a threat and detrimental to many wildlife species and their habitats. In the current study, we examined the impact of livestock grazing on the physiological stress response and parasite prevalence in the Himalayan ibex population of Spiti valley, Himalayas. We standardized cortisol enzyme immunoassay to measure the fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM) concentrations. A total of 192 fecal samples were collected from eight different locations of livestock grazing and ungrazed areas of Spiti valley during 2015 and 2016. We also collected fecal samples from livestock grazing areas to examine the prevalence of parasites in Himalayan ibex. We found no significant difference in cortisol levels between livestock in grazed and ungrazed areas. However, parasite prevalence was higher in ibex fecal samples collected from livestock grazing locations. Our study provides preliminary insights into the stress physiology and parasitic prevalence of the Himalayan ibex. Further, long-term research with a larger sample size and more quantitative methods is needed to explore a comprehensive understanding of its physiology and pathology.