Prague Zoo will donate CZK 206,000 to protect wild gorillas in eastern Congo from contracting the mpox viral disease, formerly known as monkeypox, Zoo spokesman Filip Masek told CTK yesterday. The funds will go towards the training of health workers and diagnostic tests.
A new variant of the disease was identified in Congo’s South Kivu province earlier this year, threatening the critically endangered eastern gorillas.
“Our support is to help ensure that eastern gorillas do not get infected from locals or directly from national park rangers,” said Prague Zoo director Miroslav Bobek, adding that the money would be spent on training of health workers and “community leaders” in recognising mpox symptoms, using rapid diagnostic tests, and implementing preventive measures.
“At the same time, 100 of these diagnostic tests will be purchased as part of our support,” Bobek said.
“Eastern gorillas live only in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and according to research dating back several years, there are probably fewer than 4,000 of them left,” Masek noted. In addition to the new disease, they are threatened by illegal logging, deforestation and poaching.
Eighteen African countries are currently struggling with mpox, with Congo reporting the most deaths. The latest cases are reported from Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Czech Republic has seen several dozen cases of an older variant of mpox called clade IIb in the past two years.
Mpox is a viral disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, but also by close physical contact with a person infected with the virus. It is manifested mainly by a rash with blisters, and patients also suffer from fever and general exhaustion. In both cases, antivirals are suitable for treatment and risk groups can be vaccinated. Deaths are relatively rare in countries with robust healthcare systems.
Prague Zoo has been breeding western lowland gorillas since 1963. It now has two groups of gorillas – individuals for breeding and an all-male group. Gorillas are among the most popular animals at the zoo, which allows it to support these primates and other animals in Cameroon, where the zoo operates the Wandering Bus project that aims to educate local children.
