Kafue Lechwe numbers on a steep decline on the flats
A dead Endangered Kafue Lechwe Antelope (Kobus leche kafuensis)
Saziso Moyo, EWT-ICF Partnership African Crane Conservation Programme
The Endangered Kafue Lechwe antelope (Kobus leche kafuensis) is the predominant antelope species of the Kafue basin. These lechwes are semi-aquatic, medium-sized antelopes that live in large groups close to water bodies or marshes. The antelope engage in competitive displays and courtship rituals, known as lekking, to entice visiting females who are surveying prospective partners with whom to mate. The lechwe population in the Kafue basin has steadily declined from an estimated 80,000 in 1975 to about 23,000 in 2018, leading to its inclusion on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. For this reason, the International Crane Foundation/Endangered Wildlife Trust (ICF/EWT) Partnership has, in addition to the crane species we focus on, included the Kafue Lechwe on the list of important species to monitor and conserve. To achieve this, it has become increasingly important to investigate all potential factors contributing to the decline of the Kafue Lechwe population.
During the dry season in 2022, the Kafue Lechwe were dying daily, sometimes as many as 10-20, with the females and young being among the most affected. The ICF/EWT research team and field patrol officers detected this during mandatory monitoring activities.
A team of veterinarians from the University of Zambia (UNZA), the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), and the Central Veterinary Research Institute (CVRI) was put together by ICF/EWT to investigate the cause of the alarming mortalities. The DNPW permitted the team to hunt down three lechwes to collect substantial samples of the internal organs. The reports revealed that the lechwes had various health issues, including bacteria and endo- and ectoparasites. The vet team argued that the bacteria and other health issues uncovered were not enough to kill the lechwe, but a combination of the disease load and poor nutritional value of their remaining food source could be acting together to cause the high number of deaths observed.
The report specifically indicates the presence of bacteria such as E. coli, Moraxella spp, and Klebsiella spp. The E. coli is because of the open defecation practised in the fishing villages. The villages have open pit toilets released directly into the water during flood season, presenting a significant public health issue for the people living in fishing villages and for the lechwe that drink from these water holes. Other causes of high mortality rates in the lechwe are human encroachment and the competition for food with the cattle that now number around 80,000 on the Kafue Flats.
The next step will involve presenting these results to relevant stakeholders and authorities for further action. Solutions may include developing a sanitation programme for the villages and a comprehensive management plan for the Kafue Flats for the well-being of people and wildlife.
Additionally, this calls for a deliberate, aggressive monitoring programme of the Kafue Lechwe involving the institutions mentioned above. Monitoring will help us to understand the stress factors and the potential mitigation measures to implement to ensure a thriving wetland for ALL.