Here below, is the second story that I have typed up from one of our newspapers today.

They are all verbatim from The Times (www timeslive co za)

S A VETS TO THE RESCUE by Graeme Hosken.

Two internationally renowned South African vet are in a race against time to solve a bacterial infection that is killing thousands of critically endangered antelope in central Asia.

In the past three weeks 130 000 Saiga antelope have dropped dead on the plains of Kazakhstan.

There were already only 300 000 of these nomadic antelopes alive. It is the largest ‘die-out’ of Saiga which have survived previous but smaller mass deaths.

Johan Marais, a veterinary surgeon, and Johan Steyl, a wildlife pathologist specializing in the disease conditions in antelopes, left for Kazakhstan on Friday and are now working fervently to determine what triggered the outbreak of the bacteria Pasteurella.

Marais and Steyl – who are based at the University of Pretoria’s Onderstepoort faculty of veterinary science – are part of Saving the Survivors, an organisation that teats endangered animals.

The two were seconded to the international investigation after South African paramilitary company Paramount Group learnt in recent dealings with the Kazakhstan government, that entire herds were being wiped out.

Marais said that he had never encountered such a massive ‘die-off’ in a species in such a short space of time. “We know the deaths were caused by Pasteurella, but we need to figure out what the trigger is and how to treat the remaining population so this does not keep recurring.”

They were hoping to gain physiological clues from post mortems. “Once blood, DNA and post mortem results are analysed we should be closer to solving this mystery,” he said.

Suzanne Boswell-Rudham, a Saving the Survivors spokesman, said no trigger for the bacteria had been discovered to date.

The vets have conducted site visits to determine if there was a possible environmental cause for the deaths, such as contamination from pollution.

“Saiga, which are unique to the area, are extremely resilient, living in deserts and semi-arid areas. They are not first getting sick and then dying, they are literally falling over dead. The cause of death is a complete mystery.”

She said Marais and Steyl had been asked to investigate because of their work and knowledge. “It is hoped they will bring a fresh perspective to the investigations. The test results would be known within the week.”

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There is a picture in the paper – the saiga seems a friendly looking chap with shortish twirly horns and an odd extended soft nose one assumes for foraging etc in the hard climes in which they live.

I wonder if the survivors could be relocated somehow, given that the problem is with the environment and pollution? Mind you, on more mature thought, probably not … the enormous cost would be ‘silly stupid’ as a friend of mine says. Anyway.

Cheers


Lestie Mulholland
Container Gardening Editor

Contain your Delight - it's easy!