'Animals Contracts Tubercculosis'

Boniface Keakabetse | Monday February 17, 2014 16:30

Alexander’s finding is said to be the first time free-range wildlife have been found to have human disease.

Alexander told the symposium that although the research on the issue is still not conclusive, there are suspicions that humans may be responsible for spreading the disease to the mongoose. She said one possibility is that the mongoose could have picked the bacteria that cause tuberculosis by nosing around in human waste, septic tanks and garbage centres. She said unlike humans who can be infected with tuberculosis for years, mongooses appear to sicken and die immediately.

Kasane Township and Kazungula are situated closer to the national park so wildlife and human contact is common. Alexander, however, said in an interview that the sick mongooses are not a danger to members of the public as they immediately die after contracting the disease.

Since Alexander made the stunning discovery in 2002, she has with the support of National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration studied the Mongoose to learn how they get infected and how they fit in to the Chobe National Park eco system.

One of the issues discussed at the symposium was on the diseases management between wildlife and human population living with wildlife. Issues discussed included on how diseases can spread from wildlife to humans and domestic animals and on better ways to mitigate such situations. Sessions also included presentation on human wildlife conflict, trans-boundary conservation and critical wildlife management problems such as poaching.

Award winning British biologist, Dr Lucy King, whose groundbreaking research proved that bees can be used as a deterrent for crop raiding elephants also presented on her bees solution.

Dr King’s research in Kenya, in 2006, focused on the response of the African Elephant to the bees, proving that elephants are aware and afraid of being stung by the tiny honeybees. The research was born out of an observation that elephants do not feed on acacia trees hosting beehives, as they are afraid of being attacked. Dr King then developed the beehive fence concept to assist in reducing conflicts between the world’s largest mammals and communities. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks is currently testing the solution to mitigate rampant elephant-human conflicts in Botswana.