Endoparasites of the Northern Burgos Wolf (Canis lupus signatus Cabera, 1907)

With the purpose of extending the knowledge of the endoparasites in the Iberian wolf we spent two years (2000-2001) collecting fresh faeces of three family groups in Burgos North area. Within the thirteen samples found to have parasite elements (72%), of the eigthteen collected, we identified nine taxons, namely two protozoans, six nematodes and one cestode. The most prevailing taxon was Sarcocystis spp. (44.4%) while the less common were the two ascaridoids found, Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina, (5.5% each) and the only cestode with identical percentage. Uncinaria stenocephala was less prevalent than Ancylostoma caninum (11.1% and 16.6% respectively) something unusual in Iberian and European populations. It draws attention the high frecuency of Spirocerca lupi, a nematode, parasitizingthe wolf, it is reported for the first time in Spain. In addition to this we analized the parasite fauna from the perspective of the human and animal health.