We tested wildlife inhabiting areas near domestic livestock, pastures, and water sources in the Ngorongoro district in the Serengeti ecosystem of northern Tanzania and found 63% seropositivity for peste des petits ruminants virus. Sequencing of the viral genome from sick sheep in the area confirmed lineage II virus circulation.

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes and flukes (Fasciola and amphistomes) infection in communally grazed traditional cattle, zero-grazed small-scale dairy cattle and intensively grazed large-scale dairy cattle through examination of helminth eggs in faeces. Results indicated that the type of management, especially the grazing habit, has a significant influence on the prevalence and intensity of GI nematodes and flukes. The prevalence of GI nematodes in traditional, large-scale dairy and small-scale dairy cattle was 67%, 44.4% and 37%, respectively, with the highest faecal egg counts in calves. The overall prevalence of Fasciola gigantica in traditional, large-scale dairy and small-scale dairy cattle was 63.8%, 46.2% and 28.4%, respectively. The prevalence of amphistomes was 81.9%, 55.5% and 41.1% in traditional, large-scale dairy and small-scale dairy cattle, respectively. The high prevalence of flukes in the traditional system was attributed to communal grazing and watering management practices. Stomach flukes recovered in examined cattle at the abattoir were Calicophoron microbothrium and Cotylophoron jacksoni. About 42.1% of infected animals had both Fasciola and amphistomes. The prevalence of both GI nematodes and flukes varied greatly among villages and farms. The prevalence of both Fasciola and amphistomes was higher in adults (58.5%, 75.2%) than in yearlings (36.5%, 51.5%) or calves (24.9%, 47.2%). The variation in the prevalence of both GI nematodes and flukes among management and age groups within systems can be used as an entry point towards rational use of anthelmintics for each management system. More studies on seasonal transmission pattern of all these parasites are required in order to design rational, economic and locally sustainable parasite control programmes.

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Elephants (Loxodonta africana) raiding crops around Tanzanian national parks threaten farmers' lives and livelihoods, thus contributing to negative local attitudes towards wildlife. As a result, there is often tacit support for poaching among local communities, and elephants suffer through reprisal poisoning or wounding or through being shot as 'problem animals' by game wardens. Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is growing as the wildlands that still have elephants, especially around national parks, reserves, and wildlife corridors, are increasingly being settled. Sisal string fences soaked in engine oil mixed with ground chili (Capsicum spp.) can dissuade elephants from entering fenced fields. For the last nine years, farmers around Mikumi National Park in Tanzania have been constructing these fences around ripening crops, and there have been no incidents of fences being broken by elephants. Community-based organizations (CBOs) that manage members' savings through village micro-credit associations help ensure the costs of materials and fence construction are met. Chili fences are rapidly becoming widespread, facilitated through farmer-to-farmer exchanges where teams of farmers demonstrate both the fences and the CBOs needed to support the project. We argue that promoting the use of chili fences, coupled with supporting CBOs, as a best practice within communities and government programs and budgets, will help reduce the need for HEC compensation, protect livelihoods, empower rural women, increase the food security of rural farmers, and help conserve elephants.