By Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Gonarezhou National Park has been hit by anthrax disease which is killing wildlife, especially buffaloes.
The Park is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) together with Limpopo and Kruger National Parks in Mozambique and South Africa respectively.
Gonarezhou National Park Senior Area Manager Lloyd Nzombane told TellZim News that they had employed several methods to contain the spread of anthrax in the park as well as surrounding communities.
“At this stage, the focus of our efforts is on containment of the outbreak to limit any potential spread of the disease to other wildlife, domestic animals and humans.
“All animal carcasses found in the area are being destroyed upon discovery using a combination of either burying or burning. We are flying aerial transects daily to assist with early detection of carcasses, ten two-man (10×2 men) patrol teams are reacting to aerial reports and five vehicle mobile ground teams follow up and dispose of carcasses.
“Responsible authorities such as the veterinary division and the Ministry of Health were informed and all traffic driving through the affected area is going through a decontamination process at all exit points,” said Nzombane.
Government has responded by vaccinating livestock from the surrounding communities in order to contain the spread of the disease.
Chiredzi District Veterinary Officer, Doctor Kudakwashe Makwangudze said they received vaccines for cattle from diptanks around the National Park.
“We are vaccinating cattle from diptanks around the game park. We have 31 800 doses,” said Makwangudze.
Communities surrounding Gonarezhou National Park usually drive their livestock in the national park for grazing during drought and this increases the chances of them getting the deadly diseases.
Recently, government finished constructing the 192-kilometre Gonarezhou Veterinary Game Cordon fence in an effort to combat the spread of foot and mouth disease in the cattle-rich southern and eastern parts of Chiredzi.
Anthrax, which mainly affects livestock and wild game while humans can also be infected, is caused by a spore-forming bacterium, Bacicillus anthracis. These spores are formed by anthrax bacteria that occur naturally in soil in most parts of the world that can remain dormant for years until they find their way into a host.
