Officials sound alert as FMD outbreak confirmed at Addo elephant park

Confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at the Addo Elephant National Park has triggered urgent calls for unified intervention across SA's conservation and agricultural sectors. Two kudu have now tested positive, triggering fears the contagious virus could establish a permanent reservoir in wildlife and severely threaten surrounding livestock herds. In response, SANParks, veterinary officials and agricultural bodies are intensifying biosecurity, enforcing movement curbs, and accelerating vaccination drives to halt transmission and safeguard the Eastern Cape's farming and conservation landscapes.