Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...
Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...
Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...
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Risk of Disease Transmissi<strong>on</strong> Between Domestic Livestock and Wild Ungulates in<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park, Ethiopia<br />
Fekadu Shiferaw 1,2* and Karen Laurens<strong>on</strong> 3,4<br />
1 Ethiopian Wildlife C<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> Authority, PO Box Addis Ababa, Ethiopian<br />
2 Nati<strong>on</strong>al Animal Health Research Centre, P.O. Box 15341, Addis Ababa, Ethiopian<br />
3 Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, EH25<br />
9RG, UK<br />
4 Frankfurt Zoological Society, PO Box 14935, Arusha, Tanzania<br />
*Email: fdesta@yahoo.com<br />
Abstract<br />
Epidemiological and ecological studies were carried out in 1999-2000 to assess <strong>the</strong> potential for<br />
disease transmissi<strong>on</strong> between wild and domestic ungulates in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park<br />
(BMNP), with a particular focus <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> endangered mountain nyala. Serological analysis carried<br />
out of cattle, sheep and wildlife revealed that n<strong>on</strong>e had been clearly exposed to <strong>the</strong> major ungulate<br />
disease of rinderpeste, peste de petite ruminants and c<strong>on</strong>tagious bovine pleuropneum<strong>on</strong>ia and thus<br />
<strong>the</strong>se diseases appeared to be well c<strong>on</strong>trolled in livestock. However helminth infecti<strong>on</strong> was comm<strong>on</strong><br />
in both livestock and mountain nyala with nematode eggs found in 50% (n=300) of sheep and<br />
39% (n=94) of mountain nyala faeces. Prevalence of nematode eggs was significantly lower (18%,<br />
n=313) in cattle faeces than ei<strong>the</strong>r sheep or mountain nyala. Experimental transmissi<strong>on</strong> of infective<br />
larvae cultured from mountain nyala faeces to nematode-free sheep was successful and Haem<strong>on</strong>chus<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tortus, Trichostr<strong>on</strong>gylus columbriformes, and Oesophagostomum species were identified. There<br />
was c<strong>on</strong>siderable human-associated activity <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gaysay grasslands of <strong>the</strong> BMNP from both<br />
grazing domestic livestock and traffic of livestock, people and vehicles. Overall, 5409 people, 5856<br />
livestock and 475 vehicles were estimated to cross <strong>the</strong> area each week, with foot traffic highest <strong>on</strong><br />
Tuesday market days. Eight percent of grazing ungulates in <strong>the</strong> area were observed to be mixed<br />
species groups, but wild species were found to avoid <strong>the</strong> road area are during daytime. At night<br />
time, <strong>the</strong> following wildlife densities were estimated from transects: mountain nyala (8.9 km-2 ),<br />
grey duiker (3.35 km-2 ), reedbuck (4.5 km-2 ) and warthogs (2.9 km-2 ). Overall, direct and indirect<br />
transmissi<strong>on</strong> of pathogens between domestic and wild ungulates is both possible and likely, but it<br />
is impossible to completely remove <strong>the</strong> risk of transmissi<strong>on</strong> given <strong>the</strong> co-existence of <strong>the</strong>se groups<br />
inside and outside <strong>the</strong> BMNP. Thus focusing disease c<strong>on</strong>trol efforts <strong>on</strong> domestic livestock is likely<br />
to be <strong>the</strong> most successful strategy overall to minimise this risk to endangered wild species such as<br />
mountain nyala, whilst law enforcement and land use planning will assist with minimizing c<strong>on</strong>tact<br />
and as well as human-wildlife c<strong>on</strong>flict.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Walia</str<strong>on</strong>g>-<str<strong>on</strong>g>Special</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Editi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> 269