Abstract
Due to the endangered status of African painted dogs (Lycaon pictus) it is important to understand what parasitic diseases they are exposed to and what effect these are having on the rapidly declining wild populations. Conversely, zoo collections of these animals are under different pressures due to their captive lifestyle such as stress, nutrition, inbreeding and intensive housing.
Faecal samples were collected from captive populations housed at Perth Zoo, Monarto and Adelaide Zoos and DeWildt Wildlife Trust in South Africa. Wild populations have been sampled from Zambia and Namibia with further sampling to be undertaken Zimbabwe and South Africa. Samples have been analysed via microscopy and parasites observed identified to genus. Giardia cysts and Spirometra sp. were detected in captive populations while parasite eggs of Taeniidae, Ancylostomatidae and Sarcocystis were detected in the wild populations. Molecular characterisation was then conducted in order to characterise those parasites found. Of particular interest is the zoonotic potential of the Giardia sp. detected in captive animals and the determination of Echinococcus sp. from the Taeniid ova found. Further sampling will add statistical rigour in order to quantify faunal structure.