Shannon Mansfield is a master's student in Environmental Science at the University of North Texas. She has always loved working with animals and being outside. Shannon previously worked as a zookeeper, where she learned animal behavior and handling, and after volunteering at UNT Quail, she soon became a part of the team. Her project is researching the presence and prevalence of the raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis and the implications to bobwhite quail. Raccoons serve as a determinate host to the parasite, meaning the adult worms live in the small intestine where they reproduce. The eggs are excreted into the environment where, after 2-4 weeks, they become infective. Unsuspecting intermediate hosts, which can include humans as well as quail, will become infected by eating seeds out of the fecal matter, or ingesting them through grooming. The parasite proves lethal for intermediate hosts by hatching and migrating through the body. Depending on where the larvae migrate, encystation can cause abnormal behavior and even death. This parasite is known to encyst in the brain where it feeds until the host dies and can be an opportunity for a raccoon to consume it and complete the life cycle. With this project, Shannon hopes to shed light on the possibility of the parasite being an environmental stressor to quail and contributing to the decline. The public will also see if this parasite is a threat to their area and can take the necessary steps to eradicate it.

Shannon Mansfield is a master's student in Environmental Science at the University of North Texas. She conducts research for the UNT Quail program and assists other graduate students on their projects. Her project is looking at the presence and prevalence of the raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis and its implications to bobwhite quail. Raccoon populations have continued to rise while bobwhite quail numbers have steadily dropped in the last 30+ years. Their populations have flourished instead of ceding during human expansion because raccoons are opportunistic, adaptable animals that make the most of their environment. This is why Baylisascaris could potentially pose a threat to so many species. Baylisascaris procyonis reproduces in the small intestine of its determinate host, the North American raccoon (Procyon lotor), and eggs are excreted into the environment. The eggs will become infective after several weeks in good conditions. A moist, warm environment aids the parasite into becoming infective. B. procyonis serves lethal to the intermediate hosts that come into contact with its fecal matter through ingestion of seeds in the feces, or grooming after contact. The eggs will hatch into larvae in the stomach and migrate to various tissue where they encyst, a condition called Baylisascariasis. The severity of Baylisascariasis depends on the parasite load and where the larvae migrate. This parasite could serve as an environmental stressor, which contributes to the decline in quail populations. This research will help the public know if the parasite is in their area and allow them to take the necessary steps to eradicate it.