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By Miriam Raftery
File photo by Miriam Raftery: A crash of rhinos at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, spring 2023
July 18, 2023 (San Diego) – “Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV), a viral disease that affects hooved mammals, has been confirmed in southern white rhinos living at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park,” Darla Davis, Senior Public Relations Representative for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, confirmed today in an email to ECM.
The International Rhino Foundation estimates there are fewer than 16,000 white rhinos left in the world, due to poaching losses. All but two of these survivors are southern white rhinos; the population has decreased by almost 12% in the past four years.
The northern white rhino is effectively extinct, with only two females left worldwide, both in Africa. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has frozen sperm from its last northern white rhino before it passed away, and hopes to someday impregnate female southern white rhinos to give birth to northern white rhino embryos through in vitro fertilization. Thus survival of southern white rhinos is important for both white rhino species.
Fortunately, Davis told ECM, “At this time, the rhinos appear to be recovering well.” She added, ““ VSV is being managed through robust biosecurity measures and supportive care, and all affected wildlife are expected to return to good health soon.”
According to the latest report on the VSV outbreak from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture on July 7, only one new suspect case of VSV has been confirmed since the prior report a week earlier, in an equine species. Three properties have been released from quarantine.
The outbreak is currently affecting six California counties, but the curve appears to have flattened as efforts to prevent spread are proving effective. The other five counties also reported one new case each, some confirmed, other suspected.
Though not usually fatal, the disease cause severe blister-like lesions on the mouths, hooves and sometimes other areas in livestock including equines such as horses and donkeys, cattle, pigs, sheeps, goats, llamas and others. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control lists several wildlife species that rarely have been confirmed with VSV, including deer, raccoons, rodents, feral pigs, bobcats and now, apparently, rhinoceros.
Animals can contract the disease from bites by black flies, midges, sand flies and possibly other insects and can also spread it through shared water or feed, and through contact with other surfaces.
The disease can spread to humans, but generally causes flu-like symptoms in people such as fever and fatigue.
Facilities should protect livestock through fly control and sanitizing methods to avoid spread of the disease. All suspected cases must be reported and animals with suspected or confirmed cases isolated until no longer contagious.
The disease takes about two weeks to run its course, though lesions can take up to two months to clear up. There is no cure, though treatments are available for infection and to reduce discomfort, since the disease often makes it painful for animals to eat or walk.
For more information, visit these sites.
U.S. Department of Agriculture page on VSV:
USDA latest update on VSV outbreak May 26,2023:
Calfornia Department of Food and Agriculture page on VSV:
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/VS.html(link is external)
U.S. Equine Foundation information on VSV biosecurity for competitions:
https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/competition-management/competition-safety-biosecurity
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