The domestic mountain horse is an autochthonous breed of horse that originated in the Balkans, which, with the support of the fund for the protection of genetic resources, began to restore the ...population of this breed, primarily in the area of Stara Planina. Intestinal parasite tests were performed on domestic mountain horses in three separate pastures on Stara Planina. A total of 124 horses from three herds were tested In Izatovac we 44 tested horses, in Boljev Dol 30 and in Borovsko polje 50 horses. All the horses were kept in a semi-free system on mountain pastures - during the day they were in pastures, moving freely in a space of several kilometers around the farm, only to be closed during the night due to the danger of wolves, usually in the same facilities with sheep, goats and cows. The diet was based exclusively on pasture. All horses were clinically healthy, in solid condition, which was at its best in early summer, when the grass was at its most lush. For coprological diagnostics, sedimentation and flotation methods with a saturated solution of NaCl and ZnSO4 were used in parallel. The Clayton-Lane method was used to count parasite eggs. Identification of parasite eggs was done on the basis of morphometric characteristics. Based on the results of the examination, the following parasites were found: Trichostrongylus axei in 66.67%, Strongylus edentatus in 83.33%, and Parascaris equorum.33.33%.
Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, intensity and risk factors (age and gender) promoting the intestinal helminthic infections of the Domestic mountain ponies and Balkan ...donkeys in Serbia.Methods: Prevalence, intensity and risk factors influencing helminth infection in horses (n=39) and donkeys (n=18) at the site of Nature Park Stara Planina, were studied from May to Sep 2015. The presence of one or several gastrointestinal helminth species was confirmed by faecal flotation in 97.43% of horses and 88.88% of donkeys included in the monitoring. The identified helminth species were Trichostrongylus axei, Strongylus edentatus, S. vulgaris, Parascaris equorum, Dictyocaulus arnfieldi and Anoplocephala magna in 84.61%, 46.15%, 5.13%, 58.97%, 94.87% and 38.46% of horses, respectively. The significant association of infection with P. equorumand sex of horses was established. (χ2=13.33, P<0.01).Results: The prevalence of parasitic helminths identified in donkeys was the following: D. arnfieldi, T. axei, Pa. equorum, S. vulgaris, A. margna and Strongyloides westeri in 55.55%, 38.89%, 27.78%, 22.22% and 22.22% of donkeys, respectively. Moreover, the mean faecal egg count was higher in donkeys (369.9 EPG - egg per gram) than in horses (250.2 EPG). The association between the age and the mean EPG was significant (P<0.05) in both equine species.Conclusion: The results of the investigation provided basic information that can be helpful for planning strategic control of nematode infection in equine population in Nature Reserves in Serbia.
The Stara planina tourist region is one of the most attractive regions for tourism in Bulgaria and one of the few that have almost year-round tourist activities. The outline of the area includes the ...mountain of the same name, but also the Pre-Balkan. This fact predetermines the exceptional richness and diversity of natural tourist resources. Here are some of the largest broad-leaved forests in the country, waterfalls, bizarre rock formations, etc. The relatively well-preserved natural environment is a prerequisite for the presence of exceptional biodiversity, as well as a significant number of protected areas. The region is specialized mainly in mountain tourism, including recreation, mountain trekking, rural and ecotourism. Due to the scarce tourist infrastructure, ski tourism still lags behind in its development compared to other mountain regions in the country. Very often, the Stara planina Region is primarily identified with its cultural and historical heritage, while its natural features remain in the background. Regardless of this, and as a result of the more intense tourist load, the problem of protecting natural tourist resources from the growing anthropogenic pressure is gaining special relevance. There is also an urgent need to identify and evaluate the prospects for sustainable development of the tourism industry in the region.
The purpose of the present study is to valorize the natural tourist resources of the Stara planina tourist region and to provide guidelines for their sustainable use.
Bulgaria is a country with an extremely diverse nature. Unlike a number of European countries, Bulgarian nature is relatively well preserved. For the purposes of its protection, a network of ...protected areas was created, which occupy 5.3% of the country’s territory. Bulgaria also participates in a number of international initiatives, which put about 1/3 of the territory of Bulgaria under protection of the natural environment. According to the Protected areas Act in Bulgaria, 6 categories are distinguished - national parks, natural parks, reserves, maintained reserves, protected localities, natural attractions. Among them, important resources for the development of tourism are national parks, natural parks, protected localities and natural attractions. They represent unique sites for the development of alternative forms of tourism such as ecological, cultural-cognitive, route-cognitive tourism, etc. On the other hand, reserves and maintained reserves prohibit tourism activities. The network of protected areas is unevenly developed throughout the country. It is better represented in the mountainous areas, and in the plain parts of the country it is more limited due to the strong anthropogenic changes and the pressure from various human activities. In connection with the preserved nature, the mountains are preferred sites for tourism. The contribution of the protected areas in this regard is significant.
Stara planina tourist region is among the country’s tourist areas with well-defined mountainous characteristics. This is an important prerequisite both for the preservation of nature and for the formation of a suitable environment for recreation and tourism, and the mentioned directions are mutually bound.
The purpose of this article is to valorize the protected areas in Stara Planina tourist region and to highlight the possibilities for their current and future use for the development of tourism.
Renewable energy sources (RES) have the possibility to regenerate in a shorter time interval than the non-renewable energy sources and that is why they have always been the subject of interest, ...especially in the last decades. The Republic of Serbia has RES in the form of solar, wind, the power of water flow, geothermal heat, and biomass. The scientific research conducted in July 2016 in Temska village (City of Pirot) aimed to assess inhabitants’ attitudes and awareness of using RES. By interviewing 167 respondents, it is concluded that inhabitants do not have sufficient knowledge of quality and information on RES. Mostly, they are familiar with all terms: hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal energy (over 80%), and the term of biomass energy as well (70.7%). There is an extremely high level of misinformation about the RES subventions that are provided by the Government of the Republic of Serbia (up to 85.6% of respondents are not informed). These subventions are published in the Regulation on incentive measures for the production of electricity from RES and are based on the Feed-in Tariff system that is defined as non-refundable financial assistance from the state. A small number of respondents use RES, but a considerable number (21.6% ‘yes’ and 47.3% ‘maybe’) that does not use RES is interested, or already planning to use it in the future.
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, intensity and risk factors (age and gender) promoting the intestinal helminthic infections of the Domestic mountain ponies and Balkan donkeys in ...Serbia.
Prevalence, intensity and risk factors influencing helminth infection in horses (n=39) and donkeys (n=18) at the site of Nature Park Stara Planina, were studied from May to Sep 2015. The presence of one or several gastrointestinal helminth species was confirmed by faecal flotation in 97.43% of horses and 88.88% of donkeys included in the monitoring. The identified helminth species were
,
,
,
,
and
in 84.61%, 46.15%, 5.13%, 58.97%, 94.87% and 38.46% of horses, respectively. The significant association of infection with
and sex of horses was established. (χ2=13.33,
<0.01).
The prevalence of parasitic helminths identified in donkeys was the following:
,
,
,
,
and
in 55.55%, 38.89%, 27.78%, 22.22% and 22.22% of donkeys, respectively. Moreover, the mean faecal egg count was higher in donkeys (369.9 EPG - egg per gram) than in horses (250.2 EPG). The association between the age and the mean EPG was significant (
<0.05) in both equine species.
The results of the investigation provided basic information that can be helpful for planning strategic control of nematode infection in equine population in Nature Reserves in Serbia.