Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

Virology
All 363 sheep serum samples were negative for peste des petites ruminants antibodies. Just 3.2%
(n=470) of cattle serum samples were seropositive for contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBBP),
but are not likely to represent real exposure to infection as outbreaks of this disease spread rapidly,
with case morbidity rates approaching 90% and case mortality rates as high as 50% (Blood et al.
1983). Thus outbreaks of CBBP are unlikely to be undetected, all titres were very low and although
vaccination had not occurred in the area for over 8 years, these could represent residual titres postvaccination.
Similarly, 10.2% (n=470) of cattle sampled were seropositive to rinderpest antibodies,
and probably arose form vaccination of the older cattle sampled, that last occurred 8 years previously
before widespread vaccination campaigns ceased. All wild animals tested for rinderpest, pest des
petites ruminants and contagious bovinepleuropneumonia antibodies were negative.
Wildlife and livestock distribution and disturbance in the Gaysay grasslands
Potential direct contact - Livestock were observed inside the park boundary during the sampling
period in 1999-2000, but were generally within 1km of the boundary. During 17 observation periods
at the western Gaysay vantage point, a total of 275 ungulate sightings were noted, with 222 sightings
of domestic livestock, 48 sightings of wild ungulates and 5 sightings of mixed domestic/wild
ungulate groups, all but one of which involved cattle (Table 1). Of the 48 wildlife-only sightings, 43
were of single species and three sightings were of groups of either mountain nyala and warthogs or
mountain nyala and reedbucks within 50m of each other. During the 5 observation periods at Oufe,
2 mixed domestic/wild ungulate groups were observed out of the 51 animal or group sightings, both
of which involved a warthog.
<strong>Walia</strong>-<strong>Special</strong> <strong>Edition</strong> on the Bale Mountains 274