04 Dec 2013

Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi says no specific study has been carried out in Botswana on transmission of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) by elephants in Botswana

He said the link of elephants to FMD as explained in response to Question No. 838 of July 2013 was that elephants damage fences allowing susceptible cattle and possibly infected animals to mingle leading to outbreak of the disease.

Mr Molebatsi said while elephants occur both in Ngamiland and adjoining districts of Gantsi, Boteti and Nata, FMD is clearly restricted to Ngamiland, yet elephants regularly move between these areas. He said in Ngamiland, there were areas where the disease was virtually absent despite the high elephant population.

“These include the eastern parts of Ngamiland including Maun area, Shorobe, Makalamabedi, Hainaveldt ranches, Nxauxau/Qangwa/Xaxa areas and most parts of the Okavango.

Mr Molebatsi said the outbreak of FMD has closely followed seasonal migratory patterns of cattle with the disease translating from areas along the fringes of the Okavango Delta exclusively to areas around the Lake Ngami and some parts of Zone 2C.

The minister emphasised the possibility of mechanical transmission by any object including animals such as elephant cannot be completely ruled out, but however noted that such was very unlikely as close contact was usually required.

Therefore, he said there was need to balance the cost and practicality of control measures against the risk level and envisaged benefit.
 He was answering questions asked by Okavango MP, Mr Bagalatia Arone, who had asked how many studies have been carried out in Botswana to confirm that there is very little evidence linking the spread of the FMD to elephants, in view of the answer to question No.838 of July 2013.


He also wanted to know when the scientific studies were carried out and by whom. ENDS