Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and ISimangaliso Wetlands Park, South Africa’s first World Heritage Site, has introduced compulsory wheel and wheel arch spraying at gate entries to combat the spread of foot and mouth disease into their protected areas. This precaution is due to the fact that the disease may be present in animal excreta on roads accessing the entrances to wildlife areas.
Initially, the affected gates will be Nyalazi and Cengeni Gates at Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. The affected gates under iSimangaliso are Nhlozi Gate (Charter’s Creek), Dukuduku and Bhangazi at Cape Vidal. Other gates may also be included should it be necessary. The spraying process is quick and will not cause any unnecessary delays to guests entering the parks. The measures have been introduced to curb the possible spread of the disease to the game stock in these protected areas. The chemical that is used is non-corrosive and not harmful to human beings or animals but is deadly to viruses such as foot and mouth disease and will definitely assist in combating its spread.
The introduction of these control measures follows the declaration of Zululand, Umkhanyakude, and King Cetshwayo Municipal Districts as Disease Management Areas (DMAs) and will remain in place until the disease has been brought under control. Foot and mouth disease is a severe, highly contagious viral disease in livestock that may result in a significant economic impact. The disease affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. “The foot and mouth disease is caused by an apthovirus from the family picornaviridae and consists of seven strains, three of which are endemic to the Southern African region. All strains can occur in cloven-hoofed wildlife. It is a transboundary animal disease that can disrupt regional and international trade in animals and animal-related products. Prevention of the disease is based on early detection, warning systems and the implementation of effective biosecurity measures,” warned Dave Cooper, Ezemvelo veterinary surgeon.
