Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

Operation to Test the Condition of the Resident Buffalos of Gorongosa National Park a Great Success

Aug 17, 2007 - Gorongosa National Park

A sophisticated operation to determine the health status of the wild African Buffalo population of Gorongosa National Park was conducted August 10-17 at Gorongosa National Park in Sofala Province, Mozambique.

The operation was organized by the Departments of Conservation Services and Scientific Services of Gorongosa National Park, under the overall leadership of head veterinarian Carlos Lopes Pereira, and was conducted in collaboration with colleagues from the Veterinary Wildlife Services division of Kruger National Park, South African National Parks (SAN Parks), including aerial support from a helicopter and bush pilot. Gorongosa National Park (GNP) provided a second helicopter that was fundamental to guaranteeing the veterinary team access to areas difficult to access by car.

Five professionals from Veterinary Wildlife Services and two related volunteers comprised the South African team. The GNP team included five technical staff people from the Park's restoration project as well as Park law enforcement scouts, staff from various other Park departments, volunteers, and biology and veterinary students working at the Park.

Each day, as many as 35 people participated in this spectacular operation. On day three of the operation, representatives from Mozambican television, radio, and newspapers accompanied the team to observe the operation.

The objective of the operation was to evaluate the health of the resident wild population of Africa buffalo at GNP and, in particular, to determine if these buffalo are infected with bovine tuberculosis. The reintroduction of tuberculosis-free African buffalo to the Park's fenced Wildlife Sanctuary in 2006 was based on the presumption that bovine tuberculosis did not occur in the Park. Although tuberculosis was present in the Park many years ago, its presence had not been tested since the 1970s. In addition to testing for tuberculosis, the operation also tested the buffalo several other diseases including brucellosis, Rift Valley fever, and gastro-intestinal parasites.

Over three days, the operation immobilized 50 buffalo for testing, which corresponds to 80% of the 62 known wild buffalos in the Park. Of these 50, 18 were males and 32 were females; 74% were adults and 26% were juveniles (less than 18 months old).

The operation was an enormous success. None of the buffalo captured tested positive for tuberculosis which was welcome news because tuberculosis was present in the population in the 1970s. Tests for other illnesses are still being conducted in various national and international laboratories.

During the operation, the teams also had the opportunity to observe within the Wildlife Sanctuary (where 50 buffalo obtained from Kruger Park were released in August 2006) that sixteen calves have already been born to the 19 females (a birth rate of 84%!). Most of the females are pregnant again this year, and by the end of September we expect to have a total of 40 new buffalos in the Sanctuary. We hope to have a total of 90 buffalos that one day soon will be released to their preferred habitat: the wide open plains of Gorongosa.

Gorongosa National Park provided the South African technical team with excellent lodging and work conditions and the opportunity to enjoy, during down-time between the buffalo capture operations, some of the wildlife species and landscapes that have made this Mozambican Park famous.

We are grateful to South African National Parks for their expertise and enthusiastic support for this operation.