Managing Zoonotic Disease Risks in Wildlife-Livestock Interface Zones in Taraba State

Areas where wildlife habitats overlap with livestock grazing represent high-risk interface zones for interspecies pathogen spillover. This study examined the management of zoonotic disease risks at wildlife-livestock interface zones in Taraba State, North East Nigeria, with particular reference to communities bordering the Gashaka Gumti National Park. A qualitative and semi-quantitative research design was employed. Key informant interviews were conducted with wildlife rangers, veterinary officers, and community health workers. A community survey of 100 farmers operating in interface zones captured disease perceptions and management practices. Disease records from local veterinary clinics and the park's wildlife management unit were reviewed for evidence of cross-species transmission events. Respondents reported frequent livestock incursions into park areas and wildlife movements into farmland, creating conditions for direct animal contact. Foot-and-mouth disease, anthrax, and rabies were identified as the most common diseases at the interface. Coordinated management activities between park authorities and veterinary services were minimal and lacked formal protocols. Farmers conducted no systematic disease surveillance on livestock returning from park-adjacent grazing. The study recommends establishment of a formal wildlife-livestock interface disease management committee, shared surveillance protocols between wildlife and livestock agencies, and community-level early warning systems for disease outbreaks at the interface. Keywords: wildlife-livestock interface, zoonotic disease, disease management, Taraba State, Gashaka Gumti