Since antiquity, animal diseases in Africa have had an impact on wildlife, livestock and patterns of human settlement. Economy, food security, sustainable livelihoods, and biodiversity can all be adversely affected by inadequate control of animal diseases. While the responsibility of disease control globally lies with the government of each country, resources and the capacity to control animal diseases in Africa vary considerably from country to country.
The spread of animal disease agents across international borders, particularly in the vicinity where Transfrontier Conservation Areas are established, needs to be carefully monitored and controlled. Peace Parks Foundation, through its TFCA Veterinary Programme, supports TFCA partner countries in the incorporation and coordination of their disease control strategies.
To this end, the Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station (HHWRS) was constructed in Limpopo to focus on diseases which influence the functioning of TFCAs or have an impact on surrounding communities and wildlife. Many of these are so-called interface diseases, where the disease is transmitted between wildlife and livestock and vice versa. Wildlife may carry a number of diseases, although often not clinically affected by it, but there is then a potential to transfer these diseases to nearby cattle. This would have a grave impact on the socio-economic situation of both the conservation areas and the local communities and therefore calls for strict and effective control measures.
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