Impact of Parasites in Captive Birds: A Review

Zoological gardens is an ex-situ form of conservation where animals are kept in cages or enclosures for aesthetic, educational or research and conservation purposes. Study of captive animals’ diseases is of continued veterinary importance.  Parasites are one of the major concerns in conservation of bird species. Parasitic infections are major cause of wildlife health complications and death. Captive birds are more prone to parasites as compared to wild birds who leave unfavorable environment and naturally handle health challenges as compared to captive birds which might suffer consequences of poor and inadequate management protocols. To this end, a review on the current knowledge of the impact of parasites in captive birds rather than in wild birds was done. The review covers aetiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs and lesions, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the parasites. Also, parasitic load was considered in relation to feeding guilds, predilection sites and seasonality which may help in effective management practices

Paper also published in another publication see http://phthiraptera.info/node/95341