In preparation for World Rabies Day, we have organised a small rabies vaccination campaign this week. Our target area is a 8500 ha farm (Harnas Wildlife Foundation forms part of the Naankuse Foundation), and our target species will include domestic animals such as dogs, cats, a pig, sheep and goats, and wildlife species such as meerkats, bat-eared foxes, oryx, kudu and rhino.
According to the Namibian Ministry regulations, all domestic animals must be vaccinated against rabies annually, and this time of the year is our "annual rabies vaccination" of all the domestic and sanctuary animals on the farm. In order to try and prevent any spread, if we do have a rabies outbreak on the farm, we try and vaccinate as many of the sanctuary animals and wildlife on the farm too (this includes lions, leopards, African wild dogs, cheetahs, baboons and vervets).