Published Date: 2002-12-07 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH> Unexplained deaths, wildlife - Congo Rep: RFI
Archive Number: 20021207.5996

UNEXPLAINED DEATHS, WILDLIFE - CONGO REP: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002
From: William B Karesh, DVM <wkaresh@wcs.org>

Gorilla and Wildlife deaths, Republic of Congo
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I am currently in Gabon and received word via radio from associates in the
Republic of Congo that 6 western lowland gorillas from one family group,
numerous monkeys (species not indicated), and duikers (forest antelope)
were found dead on Sun 01 Dec 2002.
The gorillas were habituated (acclimatised) to human presence in the forest
for ecotourism purposes as part of a European Union funded project managed
by ECOFAC (Ecosystemes Forestiers d'Afrique Centrale). Project personnel
(mostly local villagers responsible for the project) had not seen the
gorillas for several days and made a more comprehensive search of the
forest near the village of Lossi, when they found the carcasses of the 6
gorillas, monkeys, and duikers.
This village is on the road from Mekambo in Gabon and Mbomo in the Republic
of Congo, about 30 km south west of Mbomo. As earlier in the year, villages
and staff report the finding of numerous dead animals in the forest as an
extremely rare event. Project personnel have been trained in basic health
monitoring techniques over the last year as part of the Wildlife
Conservation Society's lowland gorilla health program and have identified
the exact location of all carcasses.
The Centre International de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF) in
Gabon has been notified and is sending a team to the area with the
invitation of the government of the Republic of Congo. CIRMF previously
provided the laboratory confirmation of Ebola virus in 3 gorillas we
sampled after they were found dead earlier in 2002 in the same region of
the Republic of Congo. The identification and reporting of this current
mortality event did not result from human illness or mortality, but purely
from the ongoing monitoring program for wildlife.
--
William B Karesh, DVM
Department Head
Field Veterinary Program
Wildlife Conservation Society
Bronx, NY - USA
<wkaresh@wcs.org>
[Dr Karesh is gratefully acknowledged for this alert message. Any
additional information on these cases would be appreciated. - Mod.AS]

See Also

Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon (02) 20020630.4640
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep: confirmed 20020613.4492
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon: gorilla-to-human? 20020409.3915
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon, Congo: dead wildlife 20020111.3228
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon/Congo Rep 20020102.3149
..........................arn/pg/sh
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