Wildlife Health Monitoring
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Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Conservation Through Public Health Founder and Chief Executive Officer, led a team that investigated and brought under control, the first reported scabies skin disease outbreak in mountain gorillas while working for the Uganda Wildlife Authority in 1996. The outbreak is suspected to have been contracted through gorilla contact with human clothing.
In 2000, another scabies outbreak occurred in another group of mountain gorillas, investigated by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project. There are approximately 650 mountain gorillas left in the world, half of which are in Uganda. Mountain gorilla ecotourism provides important revenue for surrounding communities and rural settings. However, this revenue is threatened by human disease. The poorest people in Uganda live next to protected areas, and therefore have a high incidence of preventable diseases like scabies and tuberculosis. These diseases can all too easily be transmitted to the great apes because of their close genetic relation with people. After the scabies disease outbreak, education workshops* were held with the local communities in 2000 to see if individuals were interested in improving human health conditions while also preventing gorilla and other animal disease. Parishes that directly benefited from mountain gorilla tourism were receptive as they realized that healthy gorillas meant greater income from ecotourism. A desire to solve the wildlife and human health problems led to the establishment of Conservation Through Public Health. |
 Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka with rangers at Practical training session in Nkuringo, BINP WILDLIFE HEALTH FACT SHEET
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