Home Page
Information
Current Challenge
Archive
Research Projects

Bats
Birding
African Wild Cat
Bronze Whaler
Marine Research
Bovine Tuberculosis
Reptiles Project

Humanitarian Support
Media Centre

Bovine Tuberculosis Project

Report on the activities of the sponsored 4 x 4 BTB research vehicle
by Dr. Lin-Mari de Klerk Lorist

The Goodyear sponsored vehicle has been used for several activities during the year where especially buffaloes and lions were concerned. The majority of operations involved bovine tuberculosis research, but the vehicle was also used for a few other capture operations.

Several lion carcasses were retrieved from the veldt, but unfortunately no clear diagnoses could be made relating to the cause of death due to the fact that the carcasses were severely damaged by hyenas and vultures. Emaciated lions were also captured and moved to the holding facilities. One female was suffering from widespread BTB and subsequently euthanased. A young male was also euthanased but necropsy revealed fractures of both hind legs - most probably human induced due to speeding vehicle. Several lion capture operations were performed in the central districts in order to fit the lions with radio collars. This is part of the Satara buffalo-lion interaction study.

The most important operation for the year was the lethal buffalo survey done in the southern districts of KNP. A total of 206 buffaloes were euthanased to determine the BTB prevalence in the area and the spread of the disease through individual carcasses. Animals were randomly selected from 10 different buffalo herds and the prevalence ranged from 17% to 54%. All the herds that were tested are infected with BTB. In some herds calves as young as 2 months showed macroscopic BTB lesions. The prevalence of disease might in fact still be higher because the culture results are pending. In many cases buffaloes might already be infected with BTB, but the lesions are only microscopic and not visible with the human eye.

The vehicle was also involved with live buffalo mass capture in the south and central districts where blood samples were collected from buffaloes of all ages to determine their BTB status. Some radio collars were also fitted on the buffaloes to track their future movements. It has also been showed that the buffaloes move over greater distances during the dry season and therefore the risk of spreading the disease is increased.

The vehicle was also used during 2 white rhino capture operations in the southern districts as well as the capture of roan antelope in the north. The National Luna fridge proved very useful in transporting the biological samples collected from the roan antelope in north back to the laboratory in Skukuza.