Developing Country Session

Issues and Techniques from the Developing World

Below is the itinerary for the 2009 session. 2010 will be similar in content.

Tanzania

July 19 - August 10, 2009

Introduction and Course Overview

Introduction & Course Overview
The Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement Project (HALI) is proud to have the opportunity to host the 2009 Envirovet Summer Institute Developing Country Session in Tanzania. HALI is a collaborative stakeholder-driven research and capacity building program led by the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center. Our partners are the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Sokoine University of Agriculture, the Wildlife Conservation Society Ruaha Landscape Program, and the University of Vermont Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. We use an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the health and economic impacts of zoonotic and waterborne diseases in wildlife, livestock and people in the Ruaha ecosystem of Tanzania. We are supported by the Global Livestock Collaborative Research Support Program (GLCRSP) which receives its support from USAID.

Through our partnerships with universities, non-profit organizations, and government agencies in Tanzania we have created an itinerary where Envirovet participants will learn about wildlife and ecosystem health issues through field-based activities and interactions with developing country professionals currently working to address these challenges. By linking Envirovet and HALI, students will have the added experience of participating in an ongoing research project and interacting “on the ground” with HALI team members and the communities with which we work. 

Themes to be Covered:
In order to maximize opportunities at multiple national parks, management areas, and community sites, this portion of the course will not be organized into strict modules. Instead the following themes will be introduced and then reinforced at many of the sites throughout the course.

Theme 1 - Health and Conservation at the Wildlife-Livestock-Human Interface (HCI)
Description: Natural resource conflicts and disease transmission are most likely to occur at the spatial and temporal interface between human populations (with their domestic animals) and wildlife. Anthropogenic changes to our ecosystems are expanding this interface with often deleterious consequences for both people and wildlife. Envirovet students will explore this issue by talking with and learning from case studies presented by researchers actively working to mitigate these problems; participating in field excursions to sites of wildlife-human conflict; talking with pastoralists living near a wildlife protected area; and participating in HALI project research activities (bovine tuberculosis testing of cattle, sampling of water for pathogens) to evaluate the prevalence of zoonotic disease at the interface between wildlife, livestock and human populations. 

Theme 2 - Challenges with Diagnosis, Surveillance and Control of Zoonotic and Emerging Infectious Diseases in Developing Countries (ZED)
Description: Zoonotic pathogens are the most significant cause of emerging infectious diseases in people. Wildlife and domestic animals are an important part of the public health picture, as they provide a “zoonotic pool” from which diseases may emerge. We will explore the challenges to diagnosing, controlling and implementing surveillance programs for zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases in Tanzania. Diseases that will be highlighted include highly pathogenic Avian Influenza, Rift Valley Fever, and bovinetuberculosis, with an emphasis on current research and innovative methods being developed in Tanzania for diagnosis and surveillance.

Theme 3 – Wildlife Health and Conservation Challenges in Protected Areas (CPA)
Description: Approximately 25% of Tanzania’s land lies inside protected areas. Despite this significant achievement, Tanzania’s biological diversity remains threatened. Envirovet participants will learn about the health and conservation challenges faced by professionals working in Tanzanian National Parks. They will participate in projects addressing some of these issues in Mikumi and Ruaha National Parks. By visiting two parks, participants will have the opportunity to compare and contrast the challenges facing these parks. Additionally, participants will learn about new initiatives that have created community based wildlife management areas. The course will have field exercises inside the newly created Pawaga-Idodi Wildlife Management Area, and discuss the pros and cons of community-based conservation initiatives with Tanzanians actively working in the field. The benefits and problems associated with ecotourism and cultural tourism will also be discussed. Finally, challenges and recent success in the conservation of Zanzibar’s indigenous forests and mangroves will be highlighted in a visit to Jozani Chakwa Bay Conservation Area. 
                       
Theme 4 – Health and Conservation Policy at the National and Global Level (POL)
Both national and international policies affect conservation in developing countries. Policy implications arising from case studies about the drying of the Great Ruaha River and community-based conservation will be discussed. Participants will also gain familiarity with Tanzanian law regarding the environment, wildlife, and veterinary medicine.

Theme 5 – Threats to Tropical Fresh Water and Marine Ecosystems (FWM)
Tanzania’s incredible biodiversity depends on the health of its fresh water and marine ecosystems. Tanzania has more inland waters than any other country in Africa, 1424 km of Indian Ocean coastline, and the Zanzibar and Mafia Island archipelagos. The health and ecosystem services of Tanzania’s freshwater ecosystems are severely strained by the needs of Tanzania’s human population. We will highlight these issues by closely studying the 15 year conservation crisis of the Great Ruaha River. The history and consequences of the drying of the Great Ruaha River will be presented in a detailed case study. Participants will visit various sites along the river and its tributaries to 1) see examples of irrigation and water diversions, 2) assess fish species diversity and 3) sample for pathogens in the water. Pollution problems and the latest research in freshwater and marine ecosystems will be highlighted through discussions and field exercises at Sokoine University of Agriculture and the Institute for Marine Sciences on Zanzibar. Coral health, and innovations in mariculture, and community based sustainable use programs will be discussed.

Envirovet Developing Country Session Itinerary*:

*Please note that exact times, activities, and speakers are subject to change.

Tuesday July 21-Day 1: Arrival, Orientation & Introduction  (CPA/HCI)

7:00 am: Most participants arrive in Dar es Salaam. (Others will have arrived previous night)

8:30 – 1:00 pm: Travel to Mikumi town, passing through Mikumi National Park en route.

1:00-4:00 pm: Light lunch and settle into lodgings on the border of Mikumi National Park. Time to shower and rest.  Lodgings: Tan-Swiss Restaurant & Hotel, affiliates. Meals at Tan-Swiss.

4:00 pm: Tea

4:15-4:30 pm: Welcome & Opening of Envirovet Course
Presenter: Rudovick Kazwala, Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA)

4:30-5:00 pm: Orientation to Course Itinerary, Logistics, and Activities
Presenter: Deana Clifford, Associate Veterinarian and HALI Project Coordinator, UC Davis Wildlife Health Center (UCD WHC)

5:15-6:30 pm: Bovine tuberculosis in Africa
Presenter: Rudovick Kazwala, SUA
            Prof. Kazwala will explain the history of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in Africa and detail what we know to date regarding the significance of BTB in wildlife, livestock and human populations. He will highlight current BTB research projects in Tanzania and discuss the development of the African Bovine Tuberculosis Network.

6:30 pm: Briefing about Immobilization Exercises
Presenter: Clifford/Mlengeya
 
6:45 pm: Dinner 

Wednesday July 22 – Day 2 (CPA/HCI/ZED)

6:00 am: Early breakfast

6:45 am: Depart for Mikumi NP Headquarters

7:30-8:15 am: Welcome & Overview of Mikumi National Park: conservation priorities and challenges
Presenter: Frederick Mofulu, Chief ecologist, Mikumi National Park, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA).
            Mr. Mofulo will orient us to Mikumi NP and highlight the conservation priorities and challenges for this ecosystem.

8:15-9:00 am: Field exercise orientation
Instructors: Vitalis Lyaruu, Donald Mpanduji, Titus Mlengeya leads
            A brief review of chemical immobilization of species to be targeted in the immobilization exercises and a safety orientation will be given.

9:00 am: Chai break (tea and snacks)
 
9:30-12:00 am: Field exercises: Field immobilization of free-ranging African wildlife
Instructors: Vitalis Lyaruu, Donald Mpanduji, Titus Mlengeya leads
            A brief lecture about aspects of chemical immobilization of free-ranging African wildlife and a safety orientation will be given. Participants will then observe and assist with the immobilization of a giraffe or other species as determined by the veterinarian. Although an immobilization exercise is scheduled, there is no guarantee that an animal will be immobilized each session due to weather conditions, locations and suitability of animals, and other unforeseen circumstances. Animal welfare and human safety are the first priorities. The decision to immobilize is the responsibility of the TANAPA veterinarian in charge.

12:30 pm:  Lunch (could do lunch and pm talks in the park or back at Tan-Swiss)

1:30-2:00 pm: Additional questions regarding morning exercise

2:00-3:30 pm: Role of wildlife veterinarians and wildlife health in Tanzania
Presenter: Titus Mlengeya, Chief Veterinary Officer, TANAPA
            Dr. Mlengeya, an Envirovet alumnus, will describe the role of wildlife veterinarians in Tanzania and the current wildlife health issues in Tanzania’s National Parks. Challenges to implementing wildlife health monitoring and research will be discussed.

3:30 pm:  Tea

3:45-4:30 pm: Giraffe ear disease in Mikumi National Park
Presenter: Vitalis Lyaruu, Southern zone veterinarian, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA)
Dr. Lyaruu will describe the progress of his doctoral research investigating the prevalence and etiology of giraffe ear disease in Mikumi National Park.

4:30-5:00 pm: Wildlife Poisoning Cases in Tanzania’s National Parks
Instructors: Vitalis Lyaruu
            Lyaruu will give a brief overview of some interesting wildlife poisoning cases that have occurred in the parks.

5:15-6:30 pm: Elephant conservation in the Selous-Niassa wildlife corridor –
Presenter: Donald Mpanduji, Senior Lecturer, SUA
            The Selous-Niassa wildlife corridor is a landscape linkage between Africa's largest protected areas: the Selous Game Reserve of Tanzania, (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to Africa's largest elephant, buffalo, sable and other wildlife populations) and the Niassa Game Reserve of Mozambique, well renowned for its large elephant population. Dr. Mpanduji will detail his research investigating elephant movements in the Selous - Niassa wildlife corridor, and discuss implications of his work and the challenges associated with transboundary conservation.

7:00 pm: Dinner
Thursday July 23 – Day 3 (CPA)

6:00 am: Early breakfast

6:45 am: Depart for Mikumi NP Headquarters

7:30-11:30 am: Field exercises: immobilization
Instructors: Vitalis Lyaruu/Mpanduji and Titus Mlengeya (TANAPA)
            Participants will have another chance to assist with the immobilization of a buffalo or other species as determined by the veterinarian.

12:00 pm: Return to Tan-Swiss lodge, gather luggage and pack lunch for departure

1:00-5:00 pm: Travel from Mikumi National Park to Iringa 
Participants will drive by Uduzungwa National Park and Baobob Valley on their way to the Southern Highlands ofTanzania. These and other points of interest along the way will be highlighted.

5:00-6:30 pm: Arrive and settle into lodgings at Riverside campsite.  Laundry opportunity

6:30 pm: Dinner

Evening: Free

Friday July 24 – Day 4 ( POL/HCI/CPA)

7:00 am: Breakfast

8:00 am-12:00 pm: Village visit: community level sustainable development and appropriate technologies to improve health and livelihoods
Leader, Andy Hart, Anglican Diocese of Ruaha
            Dr. Hart will lead the group on a tour through Ismani village where he is helping the community try a variety of self supporting strategies to improve both animal health and people’s livelihoods. Highlights will include a veterinary drug shop project, cattle and poultry health improvement efforts, donkey welfare improvements, water sanitation efforts, edible insects and more!

12:30-2:30 pm: Lunch & Workshop Tour: Neema Crafts 
Leaders: Suzie Hart and the Neema Crafts staff
Neema Crafts provides opportunities for disabled Tanzanians by employing and teaching disabled people the skills to make unique ecologically conscious crafts. Participants will tour the workshop, learning about this innovative project, interacting with the staff, and have a chance to sample Neema Café’s famous ice cream.

3:00-5:30 pm:  Visit to Kibebe Farm, Iringa
Leaders: Richard and Victoria Phillips
Participants will tour a high-input diary and beef farm with the owners, Richard and Victoria Phillips. The Phillips will discuss challenges relating to biosecurity, delivery of veterinary services, and disease threats. They will also discuss their philosophy of raising livestock while protecting the natural environment, and their efforts to make their products certified organic.
 

6:30 pm: Dinner

7:30-8:30 pm: Bird diversity in Tanzania and surveillance for avian influenza in wild birds
Presenter: Neil & Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas
            Baker will give an overview of the incredible bird diversity that Tanzania has to offer and discuss the conservation importance of Tanzania’s important bird areas.  Additionally, Neil will highlight the current surveillance efforts for highly pathogenic avian influenza in Tanzania’s wild birds, with an emphasis on sentinel species and possible conservation impacts. Liz will discuss her efforts to create a Swahili language bird book for Tanzania.

Saturday July 25 – Day 5 (CPA)

7:30 am:  Breakfast

8:30 am-12:00 pm: - Optional Field trip Isimila Stone Age site
Isimilia is one of Africa’s richest Stone Age sites; excavations have uncovered thousands of stone tools dating from about 60,000 years ago (Acheulian period). Over time the Isimila River has also created a beautiful canyon with natural sandstone pillars. Participants will learn about the historical significance of this site and hike through the canyons with a trained guide.

1:00 pm: Lunch

2:00-6:00 pm: Afternoon free to explore the Iringa Market and town-life (Shuttle to town and back will be provided).

** LAST SHUTTLE LEAVES FROM INFO IRINGA AT 6:00 PM SHARP**

6:30 pm: Dinner

7:30 pm: Environmental Education in rural communities living near Ruaha National Park
Leader: Jackson Ngowi, Program Manager, Friends of Ruaha Society (FORS)
Jackson will explain the mission of FORS and highlight their programs aimed at improving environmental awareness in schoolchildren and communities living near Ruaha National Park, and incorporating environmental education into school curricula.

Sunday July 26 – Day 6 (ZED/HCI/CPA/POL)

7:00 am: Breakfast (pack luggage and prepare to leave Iringa)

8:10 am: Depart Riverside camp

8:30-9:30 am: Control and surveillance for zoonotic diseases and diseases of economic importance in livestock
Presenters: Dr. Hamza Mwamhehe, Chief Veterinarian, and Dr. Hilda Mrema, Veterinary Investigation Centre-Iringa
            Drs. Mwamhehe and Mrema will highlight the economically important and zoonotic diseases that are priorities for surveillance and control in Tanzania. The impact of the 2007 Rift Valley Fever outbreak and constraints to disease control will be discussed, with a focus on the goal of establishing disease-free regions. They will also discuss the role of government in veterinary disease surveillance and the specific role of the VIC Iringa.  (can have talk at Neema)

9:30 – 10:30 am: Participants will tour facilities of the Veterinary Investigation Centre in Iringa and have time for informal discussion.

10:45-12:00 pm: Integration of concepts – Discussion of health and economic challenges faced by pastoralists
Leaders: D. Mutekanga, Wildlife Conservation Society Ruaha Landscape Program
            In preparation for a visit to pastoralist households, WCS staff will lead a discussion about the health and economic challenges faced by pastoralist households. Water limitations, access to markets for livestock products, livestock diseases, access to veterinary and human health care services will be discussed. Participants are encouraged to formulate some questions to ask the pastoralist household that will be visited.

12:00-2:00 pm: Travel from Iringa to Malinzanga village (Pack lunch)

2:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Cultural visit with Maasai households, Malinzanga village
Leaders: David Mutekanga, Harrison Sadiki, Alphonce Msigwa? , Mzee Selendu
            Participants will visit the household and livestock boma of a Maasai family. They will have the chance to ask the questions and tour the household, view livestock and gain a deeper understanding of pastoralist culture. Traditional dancing or a livestock demonstration may be performed and Maasai jewelry made by the women of the household will be available for purchase.  Need to figure out/warn about tea with milk logistics in advance…ie maybe just chai rangi, small issue, but some students were kind of freaked out.

4:30-6:00 pm: Travel from Malizanga to Chogela campsite, Tungamalenga village

7:00 pm: Dinner

Monday July 27 – Day 7 (CPA/FWM/HCI/POL)

7:00 am: Breakfast

8:00-9:00 am: Discussion & Feedback: Pastoralism and Conservation. Can they co-exist?
Leaders: David Mutekanga, WCS Ruaha Program
Participants have extra time to discuss questions that may have arisen from the household visit and additional aspects of challenges faced by pastoralists.  Furthermore, tensions between pastoralism and conservation will be addressed.

9:15-9:45 am: Overview of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Ruaha Landscape Program & Orientation to the Pawaga-Idodi Wildlife Management Area
Presenter: Mbano or Mutekanga, WCS Ruaha Landscape Program
            Mbano will introduce participants to the wide range of conservation activities conducted by the Ruaha Landscape Program. He will talk about their approach to building local capacity for conservation; success and challenges. An orientation to the Pawaga-Idodi Wildlife Management Area will also be presented.

9:45 am:  Tea

10:00-11:00 am: Case Study: The Unintended Consequences of Development Assistance: the case of Usangu irrigation schemes
Presenter(s): WCS Ruaha Landscape Program
In the Usangu region of Tanzania, smallholder rice schemes established with development assistance in the 1980s and early 90s precipitated a cascade of unintended outcomes, many of which are still being realized. The primary and direct effect was that legal channelization of water facilitated a proliferation of illegal diversions and satellite farms surrounding the rice schemes. The resultant loss of water to the Great Ruaha River is the central driver of the environmental and socioeconomic cascade of unintended effects most notably: a 77% reduction in the area of the Ihefu swamp; over 60% loss of dry season habitat in Ruaha National Park; the collapse of fisheries in Mtera Reservoir; increased potential for transmission of disease among livestock, wildlife and people (both waterborne & other); and the loss of hydroelectric power produced by the Mtera hydroelectric plant. The social and economic costs of these unintended consequences remain untallied, but the power crisis alone likely cost the Tanzanian economy around one billion U.S. dollars. These consequences and current actions to address them will be discussed.

11:15 am-12:15 pm: Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement (HALI) in the Ruaha ecosystem
Presenters: Harrison Sadiki, HALI Field Coordinator, SUA & Deana Clifford, HALI Project Coordinator & Envirovet Tanzania co-director, UC Davis Wildlife Health Center
The Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement Project is collaborative and stakeholder-driven research and capacity building project of UC Davis Wildlife Health Center, Sokoine University of Agriculture, WCS Ruaha Landscape Program, and the University of Vermont. We use an interdisciplinary approach and team to investigate the health and economic impacts of zoonotic (bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis) and waterborne diseases in wildlife, livestock and people. Research findings, training and capacity building activities to date will be presented.
 

12:15-12:45 am: Orientation to Field Exercises
Deana Clifford & Bakari Mbano

1:00 pm: Lunch

2:00-6:00 pm: Wildlife Field Exercises
The participants will be divided into three subgroups (A, B, C) and participate in the exercises below.

Exercise 1: Walking transect for wildlife presence and sign- Group A
Leader(s): Rogassian Mtana, Ecologist, WCS Ruaha Landscape Program, & MBOMIPA game scouts
Participants will learn how to identify tracks and sign of various wildlife species. Methods for estimating wildlife population presence/absence and density on foot will be discussed; how wildlife density data is mapped using ArcGIS and used for conservation and health studies will also be demonstrated. 

Exercise 2: East African plant communities - Group B
Leaders : Mzee Mhoro (Former Herbarium Technician, University of Dar es Salaam),Mzee Moses (Village Chairman, Idodi) and Bakari Mbano (WCS RLP)
Participants will learn about the unique plant communities in East Africa, including plants of conservation concern and of importance to wildlife. Special attention will also be given to medicinal plants utilized by people.

Exercise 3: Bovine tuberculosis testing in pastoralist cattle & feedback  - Group C
Leader(s): Harrison Sadiki, Alphonce Msigwa - HALI Project, SUA
Participants will join HALI project researchers in testing cattle for bovine tuberculosis at pastoralist households. Biological samples (blood, milk and feces) may also be collected from cattle, sheep or goats. Risk factors for transmission of bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis will be highlighted at these visits, and challenges with administration and interpretation of intradermal skin testing for tuberculosis in African conditions will be discussed.

7:00 pm: Dinner/campfire

Evening:

Tues  July 28 – Day 8 (CPA/HCI/POL)

7:00 am: Breakfast

8:00-12:00 pm: Wildlife Field Exercises (continued)
Exercise 1: Walking transect for wildlife - Group C
Exercise 2: East African plants - Group A
Exercise 3: BTB testing livestock – Group B

12:30 pm: Lunch

2:00 – 6:00 pm: Wildlife Field Exercises
Exercise 1: Walking transect for wildlife - Group C
Exercise 2: East African plants - Group A
Exercise 3: BTB testing livestock – Group B 

7:00 pm: Dinner

8:00-10:00 pm: Night game drive (optional)
Leaders: WCS and HALI staff
Participants will have the chance to look for nocturnal wildlife.

Wed July 29 – Day 9 (HCI/ZED/FWM/POL/CPA)

7:30 am: Breakfast

8:30-9:30 am: Feedback & Discussion-Wildlife Field Exercises
Time for participants to share what they learned, any unique observations and to ask any follow-up questions.

9:45-12:30 pm: Field Visits-Wildlife conflicts at the human-livestock-wildlife interface
Leaders: Aybu Omari Msago, WCS Ruaha Landscape Program
            Participants will learn about efforts to reduce conflicts between agricultural activities and elephants/hippos, and livestock conflicts with carnivores by visiting sites where these activities have occurred. A unique program to use natural chili pepper oil to deter elephants from farms and design changes to livestock bomas (corrals) that reduce depredation will be highlighted

1:00 pm: Lunch

Free time to rest or explore Tungamalenga Snake Park, Souvenir stand etc.

4:00-5:15 pm: Wildlife Conservation in Protected Areas of Tanzania and the new movement towards Community-based Wildlife Management
Leader: Bakari Mbano, Director, WCS Ruaha Landscape Program; Former Director, Wildlife Division, United Republic of Tanzania
            Tanzania has designated over 28% of its land area under some degree of protection.  Mzee Mbano will give a brief overview of the history of wildlife conservation in Tanzania, describe the structure of the current Protected Area system, and highlight new initiatives to create community-based wildlife management areas in Tanzania.  Successes and challenges encountered during and after the establishment of the community-based Pawaga-Idodi Wildlife Management Area, and broader pros and cons of community-based initiatives will be discussed.

5:30-6:30 pm: Case Study: Spatial decline of buffalo in the Ruaha ecosystem
Presenter: Deana Clifford
            Clifford will review the evidence to date suggesting that Ruaha’s once large buffalo populations have suffered a spatial range contraction and possibly a population decline. Possible causes for the decline will be described and participants will have the chance to brainstorm ideas about how they would begin to study and address this issue.

7:30 pm: Special BBQ Dinner/campfire with Wahehe drama group performance

Thurs July 30 – Day 10 (HCI/ZED/CPA/FWM)

8:00 am: Breakfast and pack luggage for departure (have luggage packed and ready by cars)

9:00-10:15 am: Wrap-up discussion
Leader: Val Beasley
Participants will have time to provide feedback and discuss any thoughts or questions resulting from the presentations, village visits or labs.

10:15 am: Tea

10:45-12:00 pm: Travel from Tungamalenga to Ruaha National Park Headquarters

12:00 pm: Arrive Ruaha NP & settle into lodgings (Park bandas)

1:00 pm: Lunch

1:45 pm: Welcome to Ruaha
Presenter: Chief Park Warden or designate

2:00-3:15 pm: Conservation and Management of Ruaha National Park
Presenter: Ole Meing’ataki, Chief Ecologist, Ruaha National Park, TANAPA
Participants will be introduced to the reasons why Ruaha National Park is so significant from a conservation standpoint. The current ecosystem health issues, expansion of the park, plans for tourism growth, and management challenges for this park will be highlighted.

3:15 pm: Tea

4:30-6:30 pm: Evening Game Drive
Participants get a chance to see some of the amazing wildlife diversity of Ruaha.

7:00 pm: Dinner

7:30-8:30 pm: Wildlife health issues in Ruaha National Park
Presenter: Epaphras Alex, Veterinarian, Ruaha National Park
Dr. Alex will present an overview of his responsibilities at veterinarian for Ruaha, and describe the current health concerns in the park’s wildlife. He will describe his ongoing parasite monitoring, research to elucidate the cause and impact of a novel skin disease in giraffe, and describe the next morning’s field activities. 

Fri July 31 – Day 11 (CPA)

7:00 am: Breakfast & pick up pack lunch

8:00 am -3:00 pm: Game drive: survey for giraffe skin disease & buffalo herd counts
Leaders: Epaphras Alex & Ole Meing’ataki, TANAPA
Participants will split into three groups and drive through different parts of the park to determine the prevalence of skin lesions in giraffe. Counts of affected and unaffected giraffe will be determined and the locations of giraffe recorded using handheld GPS units. Digital photographs of skin lesions will be taken to build a digital library of the disease presentation.  Additionally, if buffalo herds are encountered, the location will be recorded, the number of bulls, cows and calves counted, and the body condition of the herd assessed. Participants may input data to create a map of affected and unaffected individuals and buffalo herds.

3:30 pm: Tea

3:30-5:00 pm: Giraffe and buffalo counts discussion
Leaders: Ole Meing’ataki & Epaphras Alex, TANAPA
Each team will give a brief presentation about what was observed on their transects and any findings of interest.

(Time to shower/rest a bit)

7:00 pm: Dinner

7:30-8:30 pm: Threats from unmanaged fire in the Ruaha ecosystem 
Presenter: Ole Meing’ataki, TANAPA
Mzee Mbano will describe the impact of fire on the health of the Ruaha ecosystem, and detail WCS and TANAPAs efforts to research the effects of fire and create a fire management regime. Field activities for the vegetation sampling activity will be described.

Sat Aug 1 – Day 12  Extra day Ruaha*

12:30-6:00 pm: Vegetation sampling at fire research plots Leaders: Ole Meing’ataki, 
Students will participate in vegetation monitoring of fire research plots as part of an ongoing project to understand the impact of fire on herbivores and vegetation communities.

3:30-6:45 pm: Sundowner game drive

7:00 pm: Dinner/campfire with park personnel

Sun Aug 2 – Day 13 Travel RNP to Udzungwa

7:00 am: Breakfast and prepare to leave Ruaha

8:00 am-4:30 pm: Travel from Ruaha to Udzungwa NP (lunch Tan-Swiss)

7:00 pm: Dinner and set up camp

Mon Aug 3  – Day 14 Udzungwa NP (ZED/POL/HCI)

¾ Day in Udzungwa (hike plus talks) then travel to SUA for dinner and sleep.

Tues August 4 – Day 15 (ZED/HCI/FWM)

7:00 am: Breakfast

8:30-8:45 am:  Introduction and Welcome to Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA)
Presenter: Philimone Wambura, Dean, SUA Veterinary School

8:45-9:30 am: Veterinary Education in Tanzania; roles of public and private sector
Dominic Kambarage, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, SUA
Dr. Kambarage will explain the history and current capacity for veterinary education in Tanzania, and the current employment options for the public and private sector. Challenges to delivery of veterinary services and veterinary education will also be discussed.

9:30-10:15 am: Rift Valley Fever: Lessons learned from the 2007 outbreak, health significance & implications of climate change
Presenter: Rudovick Kazwala, Prof. of Veterinary Medicine & Public Health, Envirovet Tanzania Co-director, SUA
Rift valley fever is a viral disease transmitted by insect vectors commonly affecting animals and humans. The disease occurs following seasonal or non-seasonal rainfall exceeding the normal amount in areas where the virus and insect vectors are available. The importance of the disease arises from the fact that it affects animals and humans causing massive losses directly through deaths and indirectly through reduction of productivity.  RVF occurred in Tanzania in 2007 with mortalities in both human and animal populations. Linkage of occurrence of RVF and climatic changes shall be discussed.

10:15 am: Tea

10:45 am-12:00 pm: Tour of Sokoine University Veterinary School 
Leaders: SUA vet school staff
Participants will tour the small and large animal clinics, rabies isolation unit, anatomy and pathology facilities, animal areas, instruction facilities and the Mycobacterium laboratory. 
 
12:30 pm: Lunch

2:00-4:00 pm: Innovations in disease diagnostics for the developing world:  tour and demonstration of APOPO Vapour Detection
Leaders: Apopo staff
APOPO trains sniffer rats to detect explosives and diagnose disease. This innovative idea has been developed into a competitive technology by a group of Belgian and Tanzanian researchers and animal trainers. Participants will visit the APOPO facility to hear more about this unique program and to see a demonstration of the sniffer rats trained to detect tuberculosis.

4:00 – 4:50 pm: New Presentation I:  Rabies in Tanzania & the New Control Initiative

5:00- 5:50 pm: Talk 2; Kihansi spray toad

6:30 pm: Dinner

7:30-8:30 pm: Small Animal Practice and Animal Welfare in Tanzania
Presenter: Armandus Muhairwa, Senior Lecturer, SUA 
Dr. Muhairwa will discuss the current state of companion animal veterinary medicine and welfare in Tanzania. Most common diseases diagnosed in primary cases will be discussed as how they reflect the owner’s small animal disease, nutrition and welfare awareness. Animal welfare education at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the need of extending the education to the public as ways of improving welfare and care of small animals belonging to native Tanzanians will also be covered. Experience and input about small animal medicine and welfare from the participants will be invited during the discussion.

Wed August 5 – Day 16 (FWM)

7:00 am: Breakfast

8:00 am-12:00 pm: Focused Sessions on Health and Pollution
The participants will divide into two groups and rotate through each laboratory.

Session One - Avian Influenza and Village Poultry Health-Group A
Instructor(s): Peter Msoffe, Senior Lecturer, SUA & Deana Clifford, UCD WHC
The potential impact of and possible entry points for High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Tanzania will be discussed. Surveillance limitations for HPAI in developing countries will be addressed, and a new initiative to create Village Biosecurity through improved poultry health will be highlighted.  During a hands-on laboratory participants will learn how properly handle chickens, take appropriate biological samples for HPAI testing, how to use and interpret the rapid influenza test, and how to minimize virus contamination during processing for food consumption.

Session Two – Using biomarkers to assess environmental pollution in Tanzania-Group B
Instructor: Robinson Mdegela, Senior Lecturer, SUA & Hezron Nonga, PhD Student, SUA
Dr. Mdegela will describe his research assessing biomarkers for pollutants in the widely distributed African sharptooth catfish. Participants will have a chance to work with these catfish and conduct ecotoxicological testing.
 
12:30 pm: Lunch

2:00-6:00 pm: Session One – Group B and Session Two – Group A
Groups switch laboratories for the afternoon session.

7:30 pm: Special Dinner Out

Thurs August 6 – Day 17 (FWM/CPA)

6:45 am: Breakfast and prepare to leave SUA

8:00-11:00 am: Travel from Morogoro to Dar es Salaam Airport

12:15 pm: Flight from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar

1:00 pm: Arrival Zanzibar Airport

1:00 – 7:00 pm: Orientation Settle into lodgings and afternoon to rest and explore Stone Town 

Fri Aug 7 – Day 18 (FWM/CPA)

7:30 am: Breakfast

9:00-9:45 am: Welcome & Introduction to the Institute of Marine Sciences
Instructor: Aviti Mmochi, Assistant Research Fellow, IMS
Dr. Mmochi will describe the activities of IMS and the general effect on the ecological, economic and social development of the coastal communities. The Institute has had a long history of interaction with both governments especially on policies and environmental assessment and more recently this has moved to local communities. A number of small scale ecological and economic initiatives have been developed and some of these are in full scale economic implications stage.

10:00 am: Tea

10:00 -11:00 am:  Water quality and Marine Pollution in Tanzania
Presenter: Dr A. Mmochi
The lecture highlights the world status of water, definitions of water quality and marine pollution and the state of pollution in Tanzania. Case studies on the agricultural, sewage and tourism pollution in Zanzibar.

11:15 am – 12:15 pm: Indian Ocean Coral reef ecology and health threats
Presenter: Christopher Muhando, Assistant Research Fellow, IMS
Dr. Muhando will touch the following themes:  Introduction to coral reef environment. Function of coral reefs to coastal ecology and socio-economy of coastal communities. Natural and anthropogenic factors influencing the distribution and health of coral reefs in Tanzania. The 1998 Coral bleaching event and Crown-of-thorns-starfish outbreaks. Coral recovery patterns after the 1998 coral bleaching event.  Management of coral reefs. Research and monitoring strategies.

12:30 pm: Lunch

2:00 – 3:15 pm: Linkages between terrestrial and marine ecosystem health
Presenter: Jonna Mazet, UC Davis WHC

3:15 pm: Tea

3:30 - 4:15 am: Seaweed Farming
Presenter: Dr F. E. Msuya
Traditional seaweed farming methods, gender participation, strategies to combat seaweed die-offs and development of new techniques of seaweed farming will be discussed. Innovation of the seaweed industry – using the seaweed in the country and how to increase the production and the future of the seaweed industry.

4:30-5:15 pm:  Finfish farming, half pearl production and shell polishing
Presenter: TBA
A brief introduction of the history of mariculture in Tanzania and the integrated mariculture pond system in Makoba Bay Zanzibar. Case studies on sitting, construction, pond management and economics or milkfish farming in Tanzania. The cockle management initiatives, half pearl farming and shell polishing in Fumba Peninsular, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

7:00 pm: Dinner

Saturday Aug 8 – Day 19

7:00 am: Breakfast

8:00-2:00 pm Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park (Pack lunch or lunch in field)
Leaders: park guides, WCS program representative
Jozani Forest is the largest remnant of the indigenous forest that once covered the island, and is at the center of the island’s only terrestrial nature reserve. The park also contains swamp forest, evergreen thickets, mangroves and salt-tolerant grasslands, and a wide variety of wildlife including, Ader’s duiker, suni antelopes, blue monkeys and the endangered Kirk’s red colubus monkey (Zanzibar endemic). Participants will hike through this unique area, learn about local conservation efforts and get the chance to see rare species.

2:30 – 5:00 pm Seaweed farming in Paje village
Leader: F. E. Msuya, Assistant Research Fellow, IMS
Seaweed farming which was a strong initiative of Prof Keto Mshigeni of the University of Dar es Salaam started in Paje village in Zanzibar Island in 1989. The mainly women livelihood activity has grown to make Tanzania the 3rd in combined mariculture production of Eucheuma denticulatum and Kapaphyicus alvarezii and the leading producer in E. denticulatum. Dr Msuya has been working with the Tanzanian farmers since 1989 will take you on a tour that will enable you to talk with the farmers and the buyers.

Sun, August 9th –

Visiting Bweleo village in Fumba Peninsular
Leaders:  Dr Nariman Jiddawi and Dr A.Mmochi
Participants will see first hand the pearl farming and the shell polishing enterprises and get to ask additional questions.

Return to Stone Town

5:00 – 6:00 pm: Envirovet 2008 Course Wrap-Up
Leader: Val Beasley, Envirovet Director

7:30 pm:  Special end of course dinner

Mon, August 10 – Depart Tanzania