Born Free statement on Ethiopian wolves

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Smoking guns are usually associated with a crime. The

opposite is happening here. Born Free Foundation is trying to save

the rare and critically endangered Ethiopian wolf from possible

extinction and has, for eight years, been supporting non-lethal

approaches to try and achieve this aim

1) BFF makes no bones about the fact that Dr Zelealem Tefera signed

the report entitled 'Field Report on the Current Mortality of

Ethiopian Wolves in the Bale Mountains National Park'. The other

signatories were Government officials. This document presents a

suite of short-term measures necessary to contain the spread of the

disease (rabies) to the wolves and other wild and domestic stocks.

They include, but are not restricted to, the destruction of feral

dogs.

2) Dr Zelealem signed this report and its recommendations in a

personal and professional capacity. His decision to do so draws on

his substantial knowledge and experience. He has the full support of

the BFF.

3) It is self-evident that unvaccinated feral dogs roaming inside

Bale Mountains National Park that have or which may be exposed to

rabies must be destroyed in the most humane way possible. In this

situation, shooting is the most humane and safest option. It would

be irresponsible to adopt any other policy. This position is endorsed

by BFF's Head of Conservation, Dr Claudio Sillero.

4) Born Free and the EWCP believe that the targeted, limited

destruction of feral dogs exposed to rabies and likely to come into

contact with Ethiopian wolves, can only be endorsed as a last resort.

5) Plainly if there was any other option at this time, the EWCP would

exercise it. For the record the project has gone to extraordinary

lengths to reduce, in a non-lethal way, the number of dogs in the

park and also to reduce the threat of disease and to address the

problem of hybridisation in a non-lethal way.

6) These non-lethal alternatives continue to be employed in the hope

that the need for lethal government intervention can be further

reduced and possibly eliminated in the future.

7) Currently any killing of dogs in Bale that has taken or may take

place is carried out by the Government, not the EWCP.

8) Dr Sillero did not shoot and wound a dog as reported. In 1989 (6

years before the inception of the EWCP), at the request of the

government, Dr Sillero shot 12 dogs which had been exposed to rabies.

No dog was left unaccounted for.

9) There is no 'massacre' of dogs being carried out in Bale - either

by the Government, the EWCP or the BFF.

Born Free believes that the current action being taken by the

EWCP is consistent with our animal welfare and conservation agenda.

In a crisis situation, as currently exists, we have no options other

than to support the Government's policy to shoot such feral dogs

under the strict terms already set out above. Any other course of

action would be grossly irresponsible and could lead to more

suffering and more deaths, including a real risk for the people of

Bale Mountains.

 

 

Alison Hood

Conservation & Campaigns Director

Born Free Foundation

www.bornfree.org.uk

+44 (0) 1403 240 170

 

 

 

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