THE ETHIOPIAN WOLF,
AFRICA’S MOST ENDANGERED CARNIVORE
Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme
EWCP and the Wolves
Zegeye Kibret
February 18, 2011
ICS, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The Afroalpine highlands of
Ethiopia constitute 80% of Africa’s
high ground over 3000m asl
These mountains are magnificent
and harbor unique species found
nowhere else in the world
The Ethiopian Wolf
• Endemic to Ethiopia.
• Lives in mountain grasslands and
scrub above 3000 metres.
• World’s most endangered canid,
Africa’s most endangered carnivore.
• No wolves in captivity.
• Unlike most canids, the Ethiopian
Wolf is a specialist when it comes to
diet.
• Forages alone, defends territory as
a pack
There are less than 450 Ethiopian wolves
2
left in the entire world today.
Occur in just
seven isolated
mountain
pockets above
3000m.
The largest
population of
wolves is found
in the Bale
Mountains
(approx 250).
70
25
5
15
Extinct
15
Extinct
60
Approx. 250
individuals
•Live in a group called a Pack
•Are territorial
•The pack is led by alpha male and female pair
They prey primarily on rodents, such as field mice and
mole rats.
In the Bale Mountains, the endemic Giant mole rat is their
favourite prey
Adult wolves bring food to the pups
• Once a year the alpha female from a pack
gives birth to 2 to 7 pups.
• They emerge from the den after 3 weeks
• The rest of the pack helps to feed the
pups until they can hunt for themselves.
• At 6 months the pups are independent
and must find their own food.
Threats
• An
ever-increasing human population, moving further
(higher) into the Afroalpine
• The resultant expansion of crops and livestock farming
which means less habitat and food available for wolves
• A possible increase in direct human-wildlife conflict
THREATS TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE WOLVES
• Livestock grazing?
Domestic
Dogs
•Disease
transmission
•Direct conflict
•Hybridization
THREATS TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE WOLVES
• Disease is the most immediate threat to the Ethiopian wolves.
• In 2003 in the Bale Mountains National Park, 70% of Web
Valley’s wolves died of rabies.
• In 2008 and 2009, a total of 120 wolves in Morebawa and the
Web Valley were lost to rabies, transmitted from domestic dogs.
The Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme
•The programme was started in 1995.
•It is the longest running conservation programme in Ethiopia and the
only programme concerned with saving the Ethiopian wolves.
•A non-profit organisation that relies entirely on donations to cover
running costs.
•Operate out of the Bale Mountains National Park, with programmes
also running in Arsi, and in the 5 northern wolf populations of Ethiopia
•Currently employ more than 30
local wolf monitors, education officers,
veterinary officers and support staff.
WHAT DOES EWCP DO TO HELP SAVE THIS
HIGHLY ENDANGERED AND UNIQUE ANIMAL?
Our goal and tools
Disease Control
To conserve the Ethiopian
wolf and its Afroalpine
habitat
To minimise the risk of
rabies or distemper
affecting any Ethiopian
wolf population
Monitoring:
•How many wolves,
where and
population trends
•Support for
decision making
Research
Capacity Building
•Ecology
•Conservation
Science
•Provides support
for decision making
To increase Ethiopia’s
ability to manage its
natural resources
sustainably
Outreach and Education
To increase the public’s
awareness and willingness to conserve
Ethiopian wolves and
their habitat
Monitoring
• 10 wolf monitors, spend a total of 17 days in the field each
month.
• Generate long term data sets (life histories, breeding
success etc) on which conservation decisions can be
based.
• Early warning for disease outbreaks.
• Monitor effectiveness of disease intervention.
Domestic dog vaccinations:
EWCP has a vet team who work hard to
vaccinate domestic dogs in and around the
Bale Mountains National Park against rabies.
By doing this, we hope to decrease the threat o
rabies to Ethiopian wolves, as this deadl
disease is easily spread from the dogs to the
wolves. Since 1996, over 62 000 dogs have
been vaccinated by the EWCP teams.
Rapid response to
rabies outbreaks
•100 wolves vaccinated in 2008 and 2009 in
response to rabies outbreaks
•Contained rabies to immediate outbreak area
•Ensured that at least a breeding pair survived
in each pack
EWCP Education and Outreach
Education and Outreach
programme:
•School programmes and door-to-door visits
within villages.
•Training of new teachers in conservation
management at the teacher training colleges.
•Reaches more than 15 000 students,
teachers, administrators and community
members a year
•Establishment of Nature Clubs within
schools and villages.
•Establishment of wildlife libraries within
schools
•Annual Wolf Day, raising awareness
in Arsi and Bale.
•Annual Rabies Day
Healthy wolves mean healthy mountains!
By protecting the wolves we also protect
other biological resources:
• Water
• Soils
• Vegetation
• The wolves’ rodent prey
• And all the other animals and people
that depend on the healthy afroalpine
environment and their ecosystem
processes.
Thank you for your time.
Please, we need your support to save these very special
animals!
www.ethiopianwolf.org
ewcp@zoo.ox.ac.uk