ENDOPARASITIC FAUNA OF MALLARDS (ANAS PLATYRHYNCHOS) IN THE TVER REGION

The issue of parasitosis in birds is relevant for zoos, nature reserves and poultry farms. Wild birds can serve as a source of invasions, since many helminth species are capable of parasitizing both domestic and wild birds. This builds the need to study the biodiversity of helminths parasitizing wild birds. The article considers the issue of endoparasitosis in the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). The research purpose was to study the current helminth fauna in mallards in the Zavidovo National Park in the Tver Region. In the course of the study, we carried out partial helminthological dissections of organ complexes (glandular stomach, muscular stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, gall bladder, and heart) from 120 mallards. As a result of the dissections, 12 helminth taxa were identified (including the Cestoda, Trematoda, Acanthocephala, and Nematoda classes). The most common species was Filicollis anatis with a 43.3% invasion index. The total infection of the studied birds with helminths was 68.3%. The infection intensity varied from a few to two dozen specimens. Of 120 examined ducks, 38 were free from any infection, 52 had a monoinfection, and 19 had a mixed infection.