Zur Parasitenbürde des Feldhasen ( Lepus europaeus ) in Schleswig-Holstein

Abstract

During a period of almost 20 years, a decrease of the population of the hare (Lepus europaeus) has been observed in North Germany. Among different reasons parasites are also thought to be responsible for this. Between 1990 and 1993 we took part in a local project investigating the various aspects of the hare's biology to see whether parasites were responsible for a decrease of the hare (Lepus europaeus) population of our region. In 272 of 296 hares (= 92 %) of different ages and sexes the following parasites were found: Coccidia:Eimeria semisculpta (52 %),E. leporis (29 %),E. robertsoni (15 %),E. europaea (6 %),E. hungarica (0.3 %),E. stiedai (0.3 %); Cestoda:Andyra spp. (4 %) Nematoda:Trichostrongylus retortaeformis (90 %),Trichuris leporis (27 %),Graphidium strigosum (2 %),Passalurus ambiguus (0.6 %). Due to technical difficulties we only occasionally found as ecto-parasites Listrophorus gibbus (Acari) and Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Siphonaptera). A comparison of the weights of parasitized and parasite free hares of various ages showed no significant differences. None of the hares showed external clinical manifestations (e. g. hair loss or different kinds of atrophies). Thus it is improbable that parasites are responsible for the decrease of the hare population in Schleswig-Holstein.