Could Parasitological Investigations Assist in the Diet Assessment of an Endangered Species? Case of the Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita)

Abstract

In addition to direct classical methods for assessing diet in wildlife, non-invasive techniques are a suitable alternative, especially in the case of endangered species. As in forensic investigations, a faecal parasitological examination could be a useful approach for a diet assessment in threatened wild birds, such as the Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita). Seven faecal samples were collected from birds from the remaining wild population of Bald Ibis in the Souss Massa region (southwest Morocco). The samples were microscopically analysed, and two of them showed the presence ofPharyngodonspp. eggs, which is a ubiquitous intestinal parasite of saurian reptiles. By compiling our findings and the local bibliographic data, we were able to confirm that small endemic Moroccan lizards, especially of theAcanthodactylus pardalisgroup, are among the elements that compose the diet of the Northern Bald Ibis.