I have heard rumors of a disease, possibly distemper, occurring in kudu in Central Namibia. Does anyone have more information on this? My friend and I will be hunting in Damaraland and the Central Highlands in August. We'd like to know what's going on.

Thanks a lot!

I heard it was rabies but that's only a rumor as I have no hard facts.

We saw two fresh kudu carcasses and a diseased live bull at Mount Etjo 3 1/2 hours north of Windhoek two weeks ago. According to owner Jan Oelofse, a form of rabies is killing them.

Bill Quimby

Rabies is bad this year in Namibia amongst the Kudu...........damn.

Thank you, all!

I will report back with whatever I see and hear there.

Jim,

You thinking of opting for the rabies vacination?

-Steve

Jim
who our you hunting with? I'm hunting in damarland next year with hentie van heerden

Jad

I'll be hunting with Bryan Connock of Savannah Safaris in the Torra Conservancy. I hunted with Bryan in 2004 and I can't wait to go back!

Steve, a rabies vaccination is starting to sound like it makes sense!

Rabies gets started in the kudu from the black-backed jackal. The jackal maintains a strain of canid rabies virus in its population just as the coyote & skunk do in the US.

When jackal populations get high, the virus spills into the kudu by bites from rabid jackal.

However, once in the kudu in high levels, it takes off in kudu-to-kudu spread. This is a very unique phenomenon. It is hypothesized to be from oral infection. The kudu keep sores in their mouths from thorn from the acacia spp. they eat. Then they do 2 things that make them efficient transmiiters of the virus. 1) They are social browsers meaning multiple kudu like to browse off the same bush at the same time. And 2) they are social groomers meaning multiple kudu groom/lick other kudu who also lick/groom themselves.

It seems that Namibia is in a kudu rabies epidemic now. However, good hygiene is the best protection. Vaccination gives very good protection as well and some peace of mind. The meat of a rabid kudu can be consumed as long as it is cooked well not that this is advisable to do in known cases but an infected kudu could be harvested prior to showing any signs.

Remember that the US has just as much wild rabies so don't let it spoil your hunt. Just use common sense and good hygiene.

I got my Rabies vaccine before I ever went to Africa. (It's also a good thing in my line of work) .A friend of mine was savaged by wild dogs there some 25 years ago while he was studying them. It takes a load off your mind but the vaccine has gotten pricey these days.

Hunted Central Namibia the last two weeks of May. Only one shooter Kudu was seen, but he saw us before we saw him. We made a stalk on him but the wind was not in our favor and he vanished. Saw many young Kudu after that, but none were shooters in my opinion. My PH explained that rabies was taking a big toll on the Kudu in his area this year. He also told me that a similar rabies outbreak occured in the late 80's. Looks like I will have to go some place else to shoot the Kudu of my dreams.
All other plains game was plentiful and healthy.