The Ethiopian wolf is at risk from catching diseases from local dogs and their populations have also become increasingly isolated by the increase of agriculture and grazing in the highlands.

At a glance
The Ethiopian wolf is the rarest member of the canidae family, which includes dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals and coyotes.  Wolves in the wild are vulnerable to diseases carried by domestic dogs, and rabies and other infections have had a devastating impact. Up to 75 per cent of the Bale population has been killed in recent years. Because 80 per cent of Ethiopia’s 73 million people live in the highlands, increases in demand for agricultural land and grazing also threaten the wolves' habitat.

What is the threat?
Rabies - which means 'rage' or 'fury' in Latin - is a virus that affects many mammals, including humans.  It causes an inflammation of the brain, which leads to symptoms of madness, giving the disease its name. It is almost invariably fatal.

Canine distemper is a viral disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems.  It is related to measles, but is not transmissible to humans.  It occurs throughout the world, and used to be the leading cause of death in unvaccinated puppies.

Wolves in the wild are vulnerable to diseases carried by domestic dogs, and rabies and other infections have had a devastating impact.

What are charities doing to help?
For the past 20 years, Claudio Sillero from the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) has worked with a local team to protect the wolves. The EWCP team vaccinates local domestic dogs against disease at no cost to the locals (though the vaccines cost the EWCP about £3 per dog). More than 40,000 dogs have been inoculated to date with significant health and financial benefits to shepherds.

More on the EWCP
The EWCP encourages local people to be more receptive to conservation ideas.  They need agricultural land and grazing for their livestock, which inevitably puts pressure on the Afro-alpine ecosystem. Fortunately, shepherds are very tolerant of the wolves they share the land with – they see them as an ally because they help cut down on grazing competition for their livestock.

It also has a strong community role, organising sports events and educational visits to schools, and encouraging thousands of children each year to value wildlife.  An estimated 950 people derive an income from EWCP.    

Did you know?

• The Ethiopian wolf is the only wolf species that occurs in Africa. It probably evolved from a grey wolf-like ancestor that arrived in northern Africa from Eurasia as recently as 100,000 years ago.
• The Ethiopian wolf population has declined by at least 25 per cent in the past three years.
• Domestic dogs have been bred over thousands of years but each can be traced back to the wolf and can crossbreed with them.
• The Ethiopian wolf is less persecuted than the grey wolf - local farmers welcome the fact that it eats rodents.
• Another threat to the Ethiopian wolf is dog-wolf hybrids, which occur when female wolves and male dogs mate. If a fertile hybrid remains within the wolf population, the dog genes may spread to threaten the genetic integrity of the wolf population. EWCP humanely captures and sterilises these hybrids as soon as they are identified.

What can I do?
You can help the project by donating to the BBC Wildlife Fund.