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The effect of resettlement and agricultural activities on tsetse populations in Gambella, south-western Ethiopia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Wondatir Nigatu
Affiliation:
National Research Institute of Health, P. O. Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Makonnen Abebe
Affiliation:
National Research Institute of Health, P. O. Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mamuye Hadis
Affiliation:
National Research Institute of Health, P. O. Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mesfin Lulu
Affiliation:
National Research Institute of Health, P. O. Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Abstract

The effect of resettlement programmes and agricultural development projects on the tsetse population in Gambella were investigated. Adult tsetse were collected using biconical traps and moving vehicle catches. The species collected were Glossina pallidipes, G. fuscipes and G. tachinoides. G. pallidipes was the most frequently encountered species. G. morsitans which were reported to be abundant in the area (Balis and Bergeon, 1968; Hutchinson, 1971; Langridge, 1976) were not collected during the present survey.

About 155,000 ha. of land, formerly reported as tsetse infested, is found to be tsetse free. The natural vegetation is being transformed into farmlands and villages, and the wildlife is being hunted out, remaining only in such areas as Demesaye and Gog forest.

Under such circumstances tsetse hosts may change from wild mammals to man and his domestic animals and outbreaks of nagana and sleeping sickness are likely to occur throughout the region.

Résumé

Les effets des programmes de réhabilitation et des projets développement agricole sur la population de glossines dans le Gambella ont été examinés. Pour la collecte de mouches tsétsé adultes deux méthodes ont été utilisées, à savoir, les piéges biconiques et la technique de capture des glossines par des véhicules en marche. Les espèces collectionnées étaient des Glossina pallidipes, G. fuscipes et G. tachinoides. G. pallidipes étaient l'éspèces la plus fréquemment nencontrée. G. morsitans qu'on avait signalé abondant dans l'environnement (Balis et Bergeon, 1968; Hutchinson, 1971; Langridge, 1976) m'out pas été collectionnés dunant le présent examen.

Environ 155,000 ha. des terres, autrefois signalés infectés de tsétsé sont retrouvés saines de tsétsé. La végétation naturelle cède progressivement sa place à des terres agricoles et à des villages, et la faune sauvage est expulsée, restant seulement dans des endroits comme Demessaye et la forét de Gog.

Dans de pareils circomstances, il se peut que les mouches se nourrissent principallement des êtres humains et de leurs animaux domestiques plutôt que des mammifères sauvages. Il y a done une forte possibilité que le Nagana et la maladie du sommeil puissent se manifestes dans toute la région.

Type
Research Articles
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1992

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References

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