https://www.sportsandpolitics.org/endangered-species-ethiopian-wolf It is the world's rarest canid (about 550 individuals exist), and Africa's most endangered carnivore ( Web ). Threats include increasing pressure from expanding human populations, resulting in habitat degradation through overgrazing, and disease transference from free-ranging dogs. Threats include increasing pressure from expanding human populations (resulting in habitat loss and degradation through overgrazing), poaching, persecution from farmers, and disease transference and interbreeding from free-ranging dogs. Since then, the pandemic has not slowed down. New research is suggesting that an Ethiopian canid once thought to be a jackal may actually be a new species of wolf – the Ethiopian wolf. Population decline of the Ethiopian wolf is increasingly being tied to diseases, particularly in the Bale Mountains. The Ethiopian wolf is listed as endangered by the IUCN, on account of its small numbers and fragmented range. Their food source is part of what makes the Ethiopian wolf so unique. Reports indicated that the Ethiopian wolfs are decreasing overtime (Figure 3) These Afroalpine islands in a sea of people are precious land for local communities which, together with their sheep and goats, bring domestic dogs that carry fatal diseases for the wolves. Dogs carry rabies and canine distemper, both lethal for their wild relatives, often causing widespread mortality among Ethiopian wolves. Born Free has been successful to date in beating back legislation that would delist wolves in the Great Lakes states and prohibit any further challenge to that delisting in court. Subsistence farming in Ethiopia’s highlands is overtaking large swaths of their range, restricting them to higher and higher altitudes. What began as a research project turned into a lifelong career, and in 1995, he founded EWCP with the goal of conserving the Ethiopian wolf. In 1985 he enrolled in a Masters program in Nairobi and while in Kenya was offered a job in Ethiopia, to study the rare Ethiopian wolf, a species he had to look up in a book because he had never heard of them before. Gray wolves and Ethiopian wolves face several distinct threats: Gray wolf: Hunting, trapping, and poisoning . Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) following its decision to remove ESA protections from Great Lakes-area wolves. Thanks to EWCP’s long-term commitment there are today more than 60 Ethiopians working to tackle these problems from many angles, working alongside local communities, government institutions, and international partners. These facts are scary: the largest population has some 300 wolves and the smallest fewer than 25; two small wolf populations went extinct in the past 10 years; there are no wolves in captivity anywhere in the world. In 2003 a rabies outbreak killed at least 30 individuals that lived in the Bale Mountains. The Ethiopian wolf is listed as endangered by the IUCN, on account of its small numbers and fragmented range. Most of these threats are exacerbated by the wolves' specialization to life in the Afroalpine ecosystem. EWCP’s Guassa gardens program spreads a native species of grass to reduce erosion and preserve soil humidity, and provide food and shelter for small rodents, boosting prey availability for wolves. There, captivated by the mountains, the people, and the wolves, she surveyed every remnant wolf population and explored new frontiers of research, discovering what made Ethiopian wolf populations tick and how families carved out and defended their territories. Ethiopian wolves have suffered habitat loss due to high-altitude subsistence agriculture (which forces the species into higher and higher altitudes) and overgrazing by domestic livestock. Bale Mountains National Park is faced with many threats associated with an ever developing and an increasingly populated Ethiopia. Immediately following the delisting, officials in three states opened wolf hunting and trapping seasons, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 wolves. Hybridization through breeding with domestic dogs is a concern for the perpetuation of this species. Wolf’s stand-up act has unleashed a backlash from the most loyal servants of Washington in the corporate media and political class. The Bale population is reported to have dropped by 30% from these diseases since 2008. AWF supports the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, which administers rabies and distemper vaccines to the wolves, but also to area domestic dogs, who can carry rabies and pose a significant disease threat if not vaccinated. As the top predator in these areas, it plays a vital role in the local ecosystem and references to it can be found in Ethiopian literature dating back to the 13th century. Photography Credits: Joshua Asel, Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program, Al Harrington, Rebecca Jackrel, Rory Matthews, Burrard-Lucas Photography. See news link below for more details. Threats. Government bounties encouraged the hunting of wolves by any means, including by shooting, trapping, and poisoning. When you designate your donation to a specific species, 100% of your donation will go directly to the field to support this species. This forces them into closer contact with humans, bringing another threat, as these wolves can catch rabies and also sometimes canine distemper from domestic dogs. Since the Ethiopian wolves are key predators in the ecosystem they survive in, by controlling the population of the prey, their survival is extremely important. The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is the world’s rarest ca-nid; ≈500 wolves remain. One Health recognizes the connection between the health of people, domestic animals, wildlife, and ecosystems. All five extant Ethiopian wolf populations remain in danger of extinction simply due to their small size. Since 2008, this population has declined by 30 percent due to consecutive epizootics of rabies and canine distemper. The presence of roads increases the likelihood of this species being killed by vehicles. The Gray Wolf State Management Act of 2017 (H.R. Source: IUCN and EWCA in BIDNTF (2010). Threats As is common with most canine species, rabies has become an epidemic among the Ethiopian wolf community. The Ethiopian wolf is a canid native to the Ethiopian Highlands. $1,800 vaccinates 250 domestic dogs living near the Ethiopian wolf against rabies, preventing the spread of this disease to the wolves. Gray wolves and Ethiopian wolves face several distinct threats: Gray wolf: Hunting, trapping, and poisoning . Massive outbreaks of rabies and, more recently, canine distemper have repeatedly decimated populations of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia, where more than half of a global population of ≈500 wolves live (2, 3). Though they almost never attack humans, gray wolves do attack domestic animals and livestock – and there has thus been an exaggerated concern about the threat and danger of wolves. They are Africa's only wolf species. For example, within the Web Valley, a prime Ethiopian wolf habitat, cattle density is estimated at 250 per square kilometre. Africa's rarest carnivores face threats from disease-carrying domestic dogs, but a new vaccination campaign gives Ethiopian wolves a fighting chance at survival. As specialized rodent hunters, Ethiopian wolves do not pose direct threats to people, yet ensuring their coexistence with people is not a simple task. In historical times, all of the Ethiopian wolf's threats are both directly and indirectly human-induced, as the wolf's highland habitat, with its high annual rainfall and rich fertile soils, is ideal for agricultural activities. The Ethiopian Wolf is found only in the Ethiopian highlands, mainly the Bale Mountains and the Semien Mountains. Due to its montane specialization the Ethiopian wolf was always rare, but today’s threats are all man-induced. Questions over Canis simensis’taxonomy had led to a variety of names for this African canid such as Abyssinian wolf, Simien fox, Simien jackal, Ethiopian jackal, red fox, red jackal, Abyssinian dog and cuberow. 424/S. In Bale, the Ethiopian wolf hybridizes with domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and is one of a number of Ethiopian endemic species.It occupies a specialist niche, living only in afroalpine habitats, generally above 3,200m asl, and feeding mainly on a diet of rodents, many of which are also endemic to the Ethiopian highlands. To date, the program has vaccinated tens of … Many of the species’ threats, such as rabies and hybridization with domestic dogs, haven’t yet reached these wolves. Learn about the challenges and opportunities of working with endemic wildlife with Dr. Jorgelina Marino and the team of Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program. Threats to the Ethiopian Wolf Continuous loss of habitat due to high-altitude subsistence agriculture represents the major current threat to the Ethiopian wolf. More immediately though, it is the domestic dogs that shepherds bring to the highlands that pose the most urgent threat to Ethiopian wolves. With the The Ethiopian wolf is listed as endangered by the IUCN, on account of its small numbers and fragmented range. Safeguarding the future of natural habitats for the benefit of wildlife and people in the highlands of Ethiopia is the vision of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program (EWCP). Humans currently pose the largest threat to this species. This species consumes rodents, making their habitat reliability dependent on rodent density. However, Ethiopian wolves present a lesser danger compared to hyenas and jackals with the occurrence of livestock remains in wolf scat uncommon across the highlands. One of the major barriers to Ethiopian Wolf population growth is competition for food and territory. EWCP’s Biodiversity Friendly Futures program creates opportunities for local communities to create sustainable livelihoods in Ethiopia via innovative approaches, such as Highland honey. There’s only one problem: the rats live in vast networks of tunnels that are only large enough for them to get their own pudgy heads through. (make highlighted portion into an image). Embracing a One Health vision, EWCP focuses on diseases impacting Ethiopian wolves, including rabies and canine distemper. They are threatened by the destruction of their habitat by humans for farmland, roads and livestock grazing. The Ethiopian Highlands are the only place where the rare Ethiopian wolf lives and raises its young. This species consumes rodents, making their habitat reliability dependent on rodent density. This elegant, long-legged canid was long thought to be in the fox or jackal family but recent mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing shows the Ethiopian wolf is its own distinct species, closely related to the Grey wolf. Rabies is a potential threat to all wolf populations, while canine distemper remains a serious concern in Bale. Aside from a few auxiliary things, their main source of food is a single species of rodent that burrows underground in the afroalpine regionsof Ethiopia: the Big-Headed Mole Rat. Ethiopian wolves are among the most endangered of canine species. Jorgelina studied biology in the Patagonian Andes and made her way to Ethiopia in 1997. Learn more about how Born Free works to end trapping », Born Free USA Opposes Changes to USFWS’s Red Wolf Species Management Plan, Born Free Joins Letter to Protect Algonquin Wolves in Canada. In the Ethiopian highlands rapid changes from a growing human population create complex challenges for Ethiopian wolves. Depredation is an issue with the Ethiopian wolf as it is with other wolf species. The Ethiopian wolf is Africa’s most endangered carnivore and the world’s rarest canid. Continuous monitoring works as a permanent alert system to detect incipient threats and epizootics. EWCP routinely vaccinates over 3,000 domestic dogs a year against these diseases to reduce the risk of transmission between Ethiopian wolves, livestock, and people. It is likely that the species has always been confined to Afroalpine habitats, and was thus never widespread. The Ethiopian wolf is Africa’s most endangered carnivore and the world’s rarest canid. More immediately though, it is the domestic dogs that shepherds bring to the highlands that pose the most urgent threat to Ethiopian wolves. Born Free USA helps secure federal protections: In August 2017, a Washington, D.C. appeals court ruled in favor of Born Free USA in striking down the government’s attempt to remove Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections from gray wolves in the Great Lakes region. Major Population Threats: Rabies and Canine Distemper The presence of domestic dogs can create big problems for Ethiopian wolves, since rabies is widespread in the local dog populations. EWCP promotes disease management strategy for rabies and canine distemper with numerous partners, including the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, protected area managers, local governments, and communities. Visit your local Doeren Mayhew Insurance Group LLC at 305 W Big Beaver Rd in Troy, MI and contact us today for your home, auto business, and renters insurance today or call (248) 290-0650 The species likely has always been confined to Afroalpine habitats, so it was never widespread. For example, within the Web Valley, a prime Ethiopian wolf habitat, cattle density is estimated at 250 per square kilometre. While this coexistence is encouraging, it places the wolves at great risk of catching the rabies virus from the dogs the Oromo use to herd livestock. In the Ethiopian highlands these rapid changes create complex challenges for the wolves and other fascinating endemic species. With fascinating social lives, distinctive red coats, and fragile status, Ethiopian wolves motivate conservationists, scientists, and supporters from around the world to save them from extinction. Dogs carry rabies and canine distemper, both lethal for their wild relatives, often causing widespread mortality among Ethiopian wolves. This imperiled species has endured population losses due to shooting. Abyssinian wolf, Simien fox, Simien jackal, Ethiopian jackal, red fox, red jackal, One of the biggest threats to the park is grazing. Threats. Within each series the films are organized either by production number assigned by the Center (in many cases this was the negative number and are roughly chronological) or alphabetically by title. They are threatened by the destruction of their habitat by humans for farmland, roads and livestock grazing. They live in packs ranging from 20 members older than one year, though packs of six wolves are more common. Thankfully, in 2014, the D.C. 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