Occurrence of gastrointestinal(GI)parasites in captive Olive Baboon and Common Langur in Bangladesh

Non-human primates(NHPs)serve as necessary reservoir hosts of parasites that create diseases to human.A close interaction between human and NHP can make a pathway for transmission of zoonotic diseases.To prevent zoonotic infection of zoo keepers,park visitors as well as keeping the captive NHPs in healthy state,it is necessary to carry out regular parasitological examination and treatment.A total of 72 fecal samples of Olive Baboon(n=39)and Common Langur(n=33)irrespective of their age and sex were collected from two zoological gardens of Bangladesh.Eggs and oocysts of seven gastrointestinal(GI)parasites were observed and identified in samples of both host species.The prevalence of GI parasites recorded was 100%.In case of Olive Baboon,the protozoan prevalence was higher(53.83%)than that of helminths,but opposite scenario was seen in case of Common Langur.Besides,higher intensity of coccidian oocysts in both hosts was recorded in the study.

Female reproductive success in a species with an age-inversed hierarchy

In most group-living mammals,reproductive success declines with increasing age and increases with increasing rank.Such effects have mainly been studied in matrilineal and in“age positive”hierarchies,which are stable and in which high ranking females often outperform low ranking ones.These relationships are less well-under­stood in age-inversed dominance hierarchies,in which a female’s rank changes over time.We analyzed demo­graphic data of 2 wild,unprovisioned groups of gray langurs(Semnopithecus schistaceus)near Ramnagar,Ne­pal covering periods of 5 years each.Female rank was unstable and age-inversed.We measured reproductive success via birth rates(57 births),infant survival(proportion of infants surviving to 2 years)and number of off­spring surviving to 2 years of age(successful births)for 3 age and 3 rank classes.We found that old females performed significantly worse than expected(birth rate P=0.04;successful births P=0.03).The same was true for low ranking females(P=0.04,and P<0.01,respectively).Infant survival was highest for young and mid­dle-aged as well as for high and middle ranking females.Overall,the results for these unstable hierarchies were rather similar to those for stable hierarchies of other mammals,particularly several nonhuman primates.Com­pared to a provisioned population of a closely related species,the wild and unprovisioned population exam­ined(i)showed stronger age effects,while(ii)female reproductive success was equally affected by rank.Future comparative studies are needed to examine whether captive or provisioned populations deviate predictably from wild populations.