First record of Cyclospora and Cryptosporidium species in the Himalayan Goral {Naemorhedus goral (Hardwicke, 1825)} from Nepal

Abstract Objectives: This study was carried out to detect the various gastrointestinal parasites in the fecal samples of the Himalayan goral Naemorhedus goral (Hardwicke, 1825) from a forest patch of Rumsi area, the Seti River basin, Tanahun district, Nepal. Results: A total of 17 fecal samples (89.47%) were positive for different parasites in which the prevalence of protozoa was 52.63%, and that of helminths was 73.68%. The positive rates of different parasites showed the following orders as Entamoeba spp. (52.63%), Spirocerca spp. (52.63%), Angiostrongylus (36.84%), Cryptosporidium (26.31%), Cyclospora (26.31%), Strongyle (26.31%), Eimeria (10.52%), Trichostrongylus (10.52%), Muellerius capillaris (10.52%), and Blastocystis (5.26%). Although all of the above parasites are firstly reported from the fecal samples of goral in Nepal, the presence of Cyclospora and Cryptosporidium species suggests that these coccidia may directly affect the survival of the Himalayan goral. Further molecular evidences of causal association with Cyclosporiasis and Cryptosporidiosis should be established in these animals.