Safety Measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 to Wildlife

Global tensions and travel paralysis have sparked significant concern regarding the survival of wildlife, particularly the growing population of endangered mountain gorillas. Because these primates share about 98% of their DNA with humans, they are highly susceptible to human respiratory viruses. Consequently, stakeholders have implemented the following active safety measures to prevent transmission:

Because the virus could devastate wildlife if it spreads, experts fear that travellers from affected countries might infect the mountain gorilla population. Consequently, this risk poses a significant threat to the long-term growth and survival of these endangered primates during gorilla safaris.

Governments and conservation authorities—including the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Rwanda Development Board, Virunga.org, and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund—quickly responded to this alarm. Consequently, these governing bodies developed several safety measures to protect both humans and wildlife from the pandemic.

Some of the safety measures taken by authorities to protect & prevent the spread of COVID-19 to Wildlife include;

The government of Uganda has established a comprehensive COVID-19 check for every entrant at every border entry point. After the country confirmed its first coronavirus case, the government suspended all incoming flights except cargo flights to monitor the situation.

In Rwanda, the same protocol applies: if a traveller tests positive for COVID-19, authorities isolate them for further monitoring before allowing them to enter the country or access resources like wildlife destinations.

The government of Uganda restricted travel to and from countries already affected by the Coronavirus to control its importation into the country. To control the importation of the virus, the Ugandan government categorised countries into three groups.

Category 1: Uganda has advised travellers from countries including China, Belgium, Austria, Italy, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, and Malaysia to postpone their trips. Consequently, authorities will subject anyone who insists on visiting to a mandatory 14-day quarantine at their own expense. Furthermore, this policy specifically includes tourists planning to visit wildlife destinations or trek with gorillas.

Although the countries in categories 2 and 3 had not yet reported infections, authorities still required all travellers from these regions to undergo routine health screenings.

• The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) originally advised travellers with confirmed bookings to postpone their trips during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 2021.
• Authorities have suspended primate tourism, including tracking for mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and golden monkeys, until 30th April.
• All intending trackers will be provided with the necessary PPE to prevent the transmission of potential infections to the primates.
• Officials have directed all wildlife authorities and staff to remain vigilant and strictly adhere to national guidelines.
• To protect both themselves and the animals, the Rwandan government tests all staff working with wildlife in national parks—including rangers, vets, and trackers.
• To further reduce transmission risks, authorities have limited the time that both wildlife staff and tourists spend near animals.
• In June 2021, the catastrophic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo became the primary disruptor of tourism in Virunga National Park, superseding previous pandemic-related restrictions.
• Because COVID-19 transmits quickly, authorities have restricted how much time and distance staff spend near animals.
• After checking all the animals, the staff moves 100 meters away to maintain a protective presence.
• Supervisors will subject all field monitoring staff to daily checkups both before and after their shifts. If any staff member tests positive or shows symptoms like fever or a cold, they isolate themselves.

Educate both staff and the community

Staff must undertake mandatory, regular handwashing and sanitising to maintain hygiene. Furthermore, management has placed posters in several work areas to educate both staff and the community about COVID-19 symptoms and control measures. Additionally, everyone must practice social distancing.

In conclusion, the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has not only endangered human life but also created a significant threat to wildlife. While researchers continue to study how to curb the virus, the current solution relies on following the advice of authorised officials. By stopping further transmission, we can prevent the spread of the virus to vulnerable animal populations.