ETHIOPIAN WOLVES ► Mortality & pathogens

Rabies is the most dangeous and widespread disease to affect Ethiopian wolves, and is the main cause of mortality in Bale. It killed whole wolf packs in 1990 and 1991 and accounted for a mayor population decline with losses of up to 75%. Again in 2003-04 rabies spread across this same local population, leding to a 76% decline.

In other regions rabies has been reported to occur in domestic dogs, people and livestock. The level of rabies awareness amongst people in the highlands and the frequency of the reports suggest high incidence across the highlands. However, the risk of transmission will depend on the probability of contact between wolves and domestic dogs, that varies amongst regions according with the degree of use of afroalpine areas, dog husbandry and the distribution of wolf habitats in relationship to settlements.

Other causes of mortality include starvation of juveniles between weaning and one year of age. In constrast, adult survival is typically high. A sex ratio biassed towards males indicates that female mortality is higher than that of males, most likely associated with their dispersal as sub-adults.

Ethiopian wolves are exceptionally free of ectoparasites, perhaps because of the cold mountain climate. Nematodes and trematodes were present in faeces and in the gut of several carcases.

There are no known predators, but unattended young might be taken by spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) or eagles. Tawny eagle (Aquilla rapax) dives at small pups and elicits swift defense by guarding adults.

In Bale wolves have been killed by vehicles on an all-weather road traversing a high altitude plateau, and a few have been shot from the road. Similar accidents may occur on other roads across wolf habitat such as the Mehal Meda road in Menz, and the road to Ticho in Arsi.

During periods of political instability, guns were more available and killings were more frequent. In many regions, people living close to wolves believe numbers are recovering through successive years of good breeding and less persecution. Still, the degree of conflict due to predation determines negative attitudes to wolves in some regions and affects persecution in the present.

See Mortality & pathgens publications