COVID-19 Latest
Mongolia|science|February 8, 2017 / 12:04 PM
Plague that killed over 2000 saiga antelope in Mongolia threatens entire population

AKIPRESS.COM - The death of more than 2,000 critically endangered saiga antelope in Mongolia was caused by a disease that could now threaten the entire population, BBC reported.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) scientists, who work in the affected grassland area of Western Mongolia, say the disease originated in livestock.

It is a virus known as PPR or Peste des Petits Ruminants.

WCS veterinary scientist Dr Enkhtuvshin Shiilegdamba told BBC News that 2,500 Saiga had already died.

The animal carcasses are burned to prevent the spread of the disease. Researchers described the speed of the disease spread as "alarming".

"The first case of PPR was confirmed in the Saiga on only 2nd January this year," Dr Shiilegdamba told BBC News.

She and her colleagues say that this is the first deadly infectious outbreak known to have occurred in this population of animals. And beyond this one, rare species, there is concern for the impact on the wider grassland ecosystem.

"Many other species share this same range," explained Dr Shiilegdamba, "including ibex and big-horned sheep." "And there are about 1.5 million Mongolian gazelle that migrate through the eastern part of the country. If this [spreads east] and hits the gazelle population, it could be economically and ecologically devastating."

One major concern is that, with the disappearance of wildlife in the area, there will be a lack of prey for the endemic snow leopard.

As well as affecting the health and population of these carnivores, this could put leopards at greater risk of being shot by farmers - as a lack of wild prey drives them to take livestock.

Herds of sheep, goats and other domestic livestock in the affected area have been vaccinated, but Dr Amanda Fine, a vet with the WCS wildlife health program in Asia said that "further immunisation" was needed "in not only Saiga range areas but [in the habitats] of other affected species".

"We need to ensure the disease does not spread to unaffected populations," added Dr Fine, "in order to save the last population of Mongolian Saiga from extinction".

All rights reserved

© AKIpress News Agency - 2001-2024.

Republication of any material is prohibited without a written agreement with AKIpress News Agency.

Any citation must be accompanied by a hyperlink to akipress.com.

Our address:

299/5 Chingiz Aitmatov Prosp., Bishkek, the Kyrgyz Republic

e-mail: english@akipress.org, akipressenglish@gmail.com;

Follow us:

Log in


Forgot your password? - recover

Not registered yet? - sign-up

Sign-up

I have an account - log in

Password recovery

I have an account - log in