Wildlife Research and Training Institute, P.O. Box 842-20117, Naivasha, Kenya.
These authors contributed equally.
J Wildl Dis. 2024 Oct 1;60(4):886-902. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-24-00026.
During the opening of diplomatic relations in the 1990s, South Africa gifted 20 southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) to Kenya. The species is not indigenous to Kenya, and management of the introduction was not clearly addressed in the legislation. Responsibility was left to the private sector and local authorities. Ten of the animals were introduced to land contiguous with the Maasai Mara National Reserve, an area with tsetse-trypanosomiasis challenges, and with rare cases of human sleeping sickness. Mortalities had been previously documented when indigenous naïve black rhinoceros were introduced to areas with tsetse; hence there was no consensus on the management of this introduction. Feasibility was only explored once before with the introduction of two animals in a monitored and managed translocation from Lewa Downs, Laikipia in 1992-1994. Ultimately, Kenyan experts were co-opted to address risk after trypanosomiasis occurred in many animals. Unfortunately, this finding was followed by gradual mortalities of most rhinoceros with only a few being saved by removal to highland private sanctuaries. This event was complicated by many factors. Samples were only sporadically collected, and mainly from sick animals. With no clear responsibility by government agencies, a collaboration between veterinarians and researchers resulted in characterization of the disease challenge, and when invited, assessment of health status. Laboratory diagnostics revealed common and sometimes severe infections with Trypanosoma brucei, a normally infrequent trypanosome. Infection was associated with disturbances in erythropoiesis, especially anemia. Symptoms varied from sudden death associated with intestinal atony, to a semiparalyzed animal that was partially responsive to treatment for trypanosomes. This event should be used as a caution to future movements of this species that are planned or ongoing in Africa, for conservation or other purposes.
20 世纪 90 年代，南非与肯尼亚建交时，向肯尼亚赠送了 20 头南部白犀牛（Ceratotherium simum simum）。这种物种并非肯尼亚的本地物种，而且立法中并没有明确规定引进的管理措施。引进的责任留给了私营部门和地方当局。其中 10 头被引入与马赛马拉国家保护区相邻的土地，该地区存在采采蝇传播的锥虫病挑战，以及罕见的人类昏睡病病例。此前，当本地的黑犀牛被引入采采蝇区时，已经有记录显示犀牛死亡；因此，对于这次引进，没有达成一致的管理意见。1992 年至 1994 年，曾在莱瓦自然保护区（Lewa Downs）进行过一次有监督和管理的转移，引进了 2 头犀牛，这是此前唯一的一次可行性探索。最终，在锥虫病在许多动物中发生后，肯尼亚专家被请来解决风险问题。不幸的是，这一发现之后，大多数犀牛逐渐死亡，只有少数被转移到高地私人保护区才得以幸存。这一事件受到许多因素的影响。样本采集非常零散，主要来自患病动物。由于政府机构没有明确的责任，兽医和研究人员之间的合作导致了疾病挑战的特征描述，并且在接到邀请时，还对健康状况进行了评估。实验室诊断显示，常见的有时甚至是严重的感染了布氏锥虫（Trypanosoma brucei），这种锥虫通常很少见。感染与红细胞生成紊乱有关，尤其是贫血。症状从与肠无力相关的突然死亡，到对锥虫病治疗部分有反应的半瘫痪动物不等。这一事件应该被用作对未来在非洲计划或正在进行的该物种转移的警告，无论是出于保护还是其他目的。
