To find a solution to combat rabbit haemorrhagic disease various, experts met for a hybrid Wildlife/Livestock Interface Seminar on January 23 in Mbombela.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is considered a highly contagious viral disease spread by rabbits and hares.
This contagious disease is also transmitted from insects, putting domestic and wild animals at risk.
The seminar was held to raise awareness and discuss ways of combatting RHD. Dardlea arranged the seminar to not only create awareness, but to also establish a Stakeholder Working Group.
This Group consist of professionals and academics in the fields of livestock production, animal health and veterinary science, to address concerns and discuss management interventions to curb its spread.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is considered a highly contagious viral disease spread by rabbits and hares.
This contagious disease is also transmitted from insects, putting domestic and wild animals at risk.
It is however not considered a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans. RHD is however, found in various host species and populations and have wide ecological and economic impact.
The WHO’s arm for Animal Health has identified Europe as a main area in which RHD manifests in wild and domestic populations of hares and rabbits.
In South Africa (SA), RHD is considered a controlled disease in terms of the Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984.
The last detection in SA was in October, 2022. Len Coetzer of Dardlea said academic information was urgently needed with clear directions and answers on how RHD could affect wild animals in Mpumalanga, especially with the Kruger National Park in the province.
“We have read up and found that there has been a big impact in other countries, via diversity, because of this virus. Europe’s wild and domestic animals were nearly wiped out.”
He said that animals in Australia, on the other hand, are flourishing despite RHD’s presence, indicating that animals have the ability genetically to overcome this disease. “It would be very valuable to understand the dynamics and nature of these animals that are immune to the disease, contributing to global understanding,” Coetzer said.
