The document summarizes a research study examining gastrointestinal parasite prevalence and intensity in fishers, bobcats, and river otters in Wisconsin. Intestines from the animals were collected from across the state over four years. The intestines were examined microscopically for parasites after being separated through sieves. Parasite data was analyzed based on species, gender, location, and region. The study found that 69.7% of animals were infected, with differences in prevalence and intensity among regions.

1. RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012
www.PosterPresentations.com
Fishers (Martes pennanti), bobcats (Lynx rufus), and river otters (Lontra
canadensis) are all species of interest for the Wisconsin DNR due to
fluctuations in population size. The Wisconsin DNR collects carcasses of
legally harvested fur-bearing game animals trapped throughout the seasons
and then makes them available for research studies. Over the last 4 years
the laboratory at Winona State University obtained intestines from these 3
animal species to be examined for parasites. Each intestine was placed in a
Ziploc bag and frozen until ready to analyze. The intestines were then
dissected and the digested material was separated through sieves of
different sizes. The digested material was then examined microscopically
and any parasites that were collected were stored in 70% ethanol. Some
parasites were stained for further identification. Parasite prevalence and
intensity were determined for each species of furbearer and analyzed in
relation to gender and geographic location. Currently, data from all 3
species of animal have been combined to determine relationships of
parasitic prevalence/intensities in the different regions of Wisconsin.
Abstract
Background
For the collecting of parasites, intestines were cut open and digested
material was rinsed out through four sieves ranging in pore size diameter.
Digested material was examined for parasites under a dissecting
microscope. Parasites found were removed, cleaned, and placed into
labeled vials containing 70% EtOH for preservation.
Data from all 3 species of fur-bearing game animal have been combined to
determine relationships of parasitic prevalence/intensities in the different
regions of Wisconsin.
Methods
Results
Conclusions
² 69.7% of all 3 species of fur-bearing game animals presented with some
type of gastrointestinal parasitic infection.
² The Northeast region had the lowest prevalence of infected otters,
fishers, and bobcats despite being the region with the most animals
collected.
² The data shows that there is no evidence to suggest a significant
difference with the amount of infected animals per region in Wisconsin.
² The data suggests that animals collected from the southwest region
have the highest intensity of parasitic infection, though not significantly
different from the other regions.
References
Meyer, Rachelle. 2007. “Martes pennanti. In: Fire Effects Information
System, [Online].” U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer).
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2015, July 2].
“North American River Otter - National Wildlife Federation.” N.p., n.d.
Web. 2 July 2015.
Tesky, Julie L. 1995. “Lynx rufus. In: Fire Effects Information System,
[Online].” U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky
Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer).
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2015, July 2].
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the Wisconsin DNR, Dr. Brant Deppa, Ashley
Wiederin, and Dr. Kimberly Bates for their resources and contributions
to our research. We would also like to thank all of the students who
contributed to this research in years past.
Fishers live in old-growth coniferous forests and their diet consist of
rabbits, other small mammals, and some plants. Of the fishers analyzed
58% (58/100) were infected, with the most prevalent type of parasitic
infection being Alaria mustelae. Bobcats can live in a wide variety of
habitats and their diet consists of rabbits, small mammals, and sometimes
deer. Of the bobcats analyzed 76.0% (70/92) were infected, with the most
prevalent types of parasitic infection being tapeworms and roundworms.
River otters live in semi-aquatic habitats and their diet consists of fish,
small mammals, and frogs. Of the otters analyzed 72.0% (60/83) were
infected, with the most prevalent type of parasitic infection being
Echinostoma spp. and Acanthocephala spp..
The state of Wisconsin was separated into 4 regions: the Northwest (NW)
region, the Northeast region (NE), the Southwest region (SW), and the
Southeast region (SE) based on habitat type and number of counties
(Figure 1).
Dr. Kimberly Bates
Biology Department. Winona State University, Winona, MN 55987
Kelsey Hoffmann, Amber Schultze, and Lucas Seaberg
Gastrointes/nal
Parasi/c
Infec/on
Prevalence
for
Fur-­‐Bearing
Game
Animals
in
the
Different
Regions
of
Wisconsin
Infection
0.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
21
45
46
98
5
23
7
16
NE NW SE SW
4 Region
No
Yes
Region
in
Wisconsin
Prevalence
NE
68.2%
(45/66)
NW
68.1%
(98/144)
SE
82.1%
(23/28)
SW
69.7%
(16/23)
Animal
Species
Region
in
Wisconsin
NE
NW
SE
SW
OIer
24
11
28
20
Fisher
12
72
0
2
Bobcat
30
61
0
1
TOTAL
66
144
28
23
Figure 1: The counties of Wisconsin divided into 4
larger regions labeled as Northwest (NW), Northeast
(NE), Southwest (SW), and Southeast (SE).
NW
NE
SE
SW
Table 1: Number of otter, fisher and bobcat
intestines harvested from each of the 4 regions
and the total number of intestines per region.
Figure 2: Combined number of fisher, bobcat,
and otter intestines of which were infected
versus not infected in each of the 4 regions of
Wisconsin.
Table 2: Prevalence of infected otters, fishers,
and bobcats within the 4 regions of Wisconsin.
Table 3: Combined mean intensity of parasitic
infection in otters and fishers collected from the 4
regions of Wisconsin.
A combined total of 261intestines for the 3 fur-bearing game animals were
analyzed (Table 1). Of these intestines 69.7% (182/261) had some type of
gastrointestinal parasitic infection.
Due to the uneven distribution of fishers and bobcats within the 4 regions
of Wisconsin the data is skewed and any conclusions made may not be
statistically relevant.
Analysis of all 261intestines from the fishers, bobcats and otters showed
that 69.7% (182/261) had some type of gastrointestinal parasitic infection
(Figure 2).
Prevalence represents the proportion of individual animals within 1 of the
4 regions of Wisconsin that had some type of gastrointestinal parasitic
infection (Table 2).
The mean intensity defines the average number of parasites found within
each infected animal in the 4 regions of Wisconsin. (Table 3). These values
could be further analyzed by comparing the mean intensities of parasitic
infection of each species of animal within the 4 regions of Wisconsin
(Figure 3).
The mean intensity values for bobcats could not be included due to an
indeterminate number of tapeworms found in many of the intestines.
Region
in
Wisconsin
Mean
Intensity
NE
37.67
(1-­‐620)
NW
27.57
(1-­‐276)
SE
17.43
(1-­‐47)
SW
39.07
(1-­‐201)
-­‐10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
NE
NW
SE
SW
Mean
ParasiLc
Intensity
4
Regions
of
Wisconsin
OZer
Fisher
Figure 3: Mean intensity of parasitic infection in
otters and fishers found within the counties of the
NW, NE, SW and SE regions of Wisconsin.
Future
Research
Figure 4: Dissecting microscope images of (in order
from left to right): Echinostoma spp., Tapeworm
spp., Acanthocephala spp., and Nematode spp.
found in WI. river otters collected in 2013-2014
Currently, all parasites that have been collected are being preserved at
Winona State University awaiting identification. Classical taxonomic
methods as well as SEM imagery and DNA Barcoding will be used to
make identifications.
Figure 5: Microscope images of (in order from left
to right): Toxocara spp. cervical alae, Toxascaris
spp. cervical alae, and Tapeworm spp. scolex. Found
in WI. bobcats collected in 2012-2013