Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) Press release – Vaccination of Ethiopian wolves against rabies
The EWCP has teamed up with veterinarians from the Ethiopian Wildlife
Conservation Organisation (EWCO) in an effort to contain a rabies epidemic
affecting the largest population of rare Ethiopian wolves in the Bale
Mountains National Park (BMNP) of southern Ethiopia.
The global population of the endangered Ethiopian wolf is estimated at
fewer than 500 adults, of which over half are found in Bale. Since
September 2003, 28 wolves have died in the Web Valley (a core wolf area)
alone and many more are unaccounted for; this represents over 50% of the
wolves in Web and about 15% of the world population. In addition, 34
domestic dogs are known to have contracted rabies in and around Web and
were destroyed by their owners; 20 cattle were bitten by rabid dogs and
also destroyed. These losses represent a significant economic and personal
cost for the people of Bale. At least one person has been bitten.
All wolf samples sent for diagnosis to the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) in the USA confirm the wolves died of rabies. The EWCP
responded to the first signs of the outbreak by immediately moving its Dog
Vaccination Team to the affected area to treat any unvaccinated dogs they
could find. They are working with EWCO, BMNP and the Oromiya Regional
Government to trace the transmission route and spread of the disease,
which seems to have been brought into the Bale Mountains by one or more
immigrant domestic dogs.
After reviewing the options available to contain the disease, the
Ethiopian authorities authorized a wolf vaccination campaign which was
launched last Friday. Eight wolves were captured and vaccinated in the
first 48 hours. Joint EWCP and EWCO Field Teams are operating in areas
adjacent to the Web Valley in the hope of anticipating and halting the
spread of the deadly virus.
The EWCP, in conjunction with BMNP staff, has instituted ongoing measures
to deal with this emergency, including combing the park for sick or dead
wolves and livestock, collecting samples for analysis and diagnosis, and
inoculating any remaining unvaccinated domestic dogs.
The EWCP is based in the Bale Mountains and operates under agreements with
the federal and regional governments in Ethiopia, and the Wildlife
Conservation Research Unit of the University of Oxford, UK. The EWCP
receives its core financial support from the Born Free Foundation with
additional funding from the Frankfurt Zoological Society, the Wildlife
Conservation Society and other donors. The IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group
and the Veterinary Specialist Group, as well as independent international
experts on canid diseases and conservation, are providing technical
advice.
Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, 17 November 2003.
For additional information contact EWCP at: ewcp@zoo.ox.ac.uk, Or:
IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group, canids@zoo.ox.ac.uk, Tel. 00 44 1865
281264/427543