256 Appendices
Fig. D.1: Necropsy in progress on Ruda in the Budongo Forest Project’s camp at Sonso
( photo: M. Emery Thompson).
(b) Report on the investigation into an outbreak of respiratory
disease in chimpanzees of Budongo Forest, Uganda
by Gladys Kalema, Veterinary Officer, Uganda Wildlife Authority and Wayne Boardman, Wildlife
Veterinary, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, Entebbe.
Introduction
A respiratory disease was observed in the chimpanzees at the research site at Sonso, Budongo Forest,
from the 11th of November 1999. The chimpanzee community at this site consisted of 53 chimpanzees.
The frequency of coughing and the numbers affected increased over the next few days. A mother and
infant did not leave the night nest for a long time on one day, which, together with continued coughing,
stimulated the decision to visit Budongo Forest research camp to undertake a veterinary investigation
on 23rd and 24th November 1999.
This is the first recorded incidence of an epidemic of chimpanzee respiratory disease in Budongo
Forest since habituation started in 1990.
Methods
- Discussion with staff at Budongo forest project.
- Observation of chimpanzees for 2 consecutive days.
- An intervention was not performed because the existing policy is not to intervene unless the
problem is life threatening. The respiratory disease appeared at this stage not to be life threatening.
There was indirect evidence that the respiratory disease could have been human caused.