Implementing immunocontraception in free-ranging African elephants at Makalali conservancy
by
Delsink AK, van Altena JJ, Grobler D, Bertschinger HJ, Kirkpatrick JF, Slotow R.
Amarula Elephant Research Programme,
School of Biological and Conservation Sciences,
University of KwaZulu-Natal,
Howard College, Durban, 4041 South Africa.
J S Afr Vet Assoc. 2007 Mar;78(1):25-30.

ABSTRACT

The goal of programmes to provide contraception for elephants should be to formulate an approach that does not require the relocation or immobilisation of the same individual year after year, which would be long-lasting and cause minimal disruption to social and reproductive behaviour. The programmes should be simple to administer, safe and cost-effective, and must meet the objectives defined by managers in the field. An immunocontraceptive programme was initiated in a small free-roaming population of elephants at the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve in Limpopo Province in 2000 to determine whether the porcine zona pellucida (pZP) vaccine can successfully control population sizes. Further objectives were to determine implementation costs and efficiency through a multi-faceted approach. We have demonstrated that immunocontraception meets the objectives set by managers in the field. Minimal social disruption was observed over the course of treatment, with the mode of delivery (ground or aerial vaccinations) determining the degree of stress within herds and speed of resumption of normal movement patterns. Aerial vaccinations resulted in the least disturbance, with target herds being approachable within a day. In 2005, implementation costs were R880-R1000/elephant/year, inclusive of darts, vaccine, helicopter and veterinary assistance. Irrespective of the source or method of vaccine delivery, a non-pregnant elephant is rendered infertile from 1st vaccine administration. The sooner immunocontraception is implemented, the sooner population growth rates can be controlled. pZP contraception is a realistic alternative management tool, particularly if used as part of a long-term management strategy. Mass-darting from the air eliminates the need for detailed individual histories of each elephant or for employing a person to monitor elephants. Thus, implementation of immunocontraception in larger populations is feasible and practical.

Cats
Deer
Wildlife contraception
Immunocontaception Reprogramming Predators
Immunocontraceptive vaccine for deer
Measuring the effects of wildlife contraception

HOME
Suffering
Resources
Utilitarianism
BLTC Research
Life without Pain
Quantum Ethics?
Superhappiness?
Utopian Surgery?
The End of Suffering
Riley Day Syndrome
Wirehead Hedonism
The Good Drug Guide
Paradise Engineering
Quotations on Suffering
Abolitionism (Wikipedia)
Reprogramming Predators
MDMA: Utopian Pharmacology
Conservation Biology: resources
Crabs Suffer and Remember Pain
Happiness and the Hedonic Treadmill
Critique of Huxley's Brave New World
The Abolitionist Project (podcast 15Mb)
Emotional vs physical pain. Which is worse?
The ecological dynamics of a cruelty-free world
Kamunyak, the lioness who adopted baby antelopes

e-mail
dave@bltc.com