African Swine Fever hits Borneo’s people and forests, near 100% fatality

Meijaard warns that the once numerous bearded pigs, a keystone species in the region, are facing population crashes of up to 100 percent, pushing them toward the brink of extinction.

Bearded pigs are not just casualties of a viral outbreak; they play a vital role in Borneo’s tropical forest ecosystem. As major seed predators, their decline threatens the delicate balance of ecological processes. Local hunting studies reveal that bearded pigs constituted a significant portion of hunted wildlife weight in some villages, underscoring their importance in socio-cultural practices.

Urgent need to research and prevent spread of ASF

The letter in Science emphasizes the urgent need for research and interventions to prevent the spread of ASF to other regions where pig-dependent communities, like the indigenous tribes of New Guinea, could face social collapse. These tribes, with deep connections to pigs, risk losing not just a species but also their cultures and livelihoods.

While ongoing clinical trials show promise in developing an effective vaccine against ASF for domestic pigs, vaccinating wild pigs presents a significant challenge. Professor Benoit Goossens of Cardiff University notes the logistical complexity and expense of implementing oral vaccination with baits across the vast expanse of Borneo.

The article shows the socio-economic significance of ASF in low-income demographics, urging a shift in global priorities. Neglecting the virus’s impact on communities like those in Borneo could result in irreversible losses, not only of species but also of the ecosystems that sustain diverse cultures and livelihoods.

Recognizing ASF’s potential catastrophic consequences for millions of people, especially those deeply connected to nature, demands reevaluating global health priorities.

As we grapple with the ongoing pandemic, the crisis in Borneo serves as a stark reminder that viruses affecting non-human species can have far-reaching implications for human well-being.

Raising the profile of neglected tropical diseases is a longstanding priority of global health governing bodies. However, the continued pressure that we exert on the natural world threatens human lives in ways that go beyond zoonotic transmission of disease.

Recognizing that a virus that cannot infect humans in its present state could have catastrophic consequences for millions of people, especially those whose relationship with nature is profound and all-encompassing, necessitates a fundamental shift in global priorities.

While such a change requires a massive overhaul of existing systems, it could all begin with acknowledging ASF and providing the virus and the communities it impacts with the attention it deserves.

The research was published in Science on January 18 and can be found here.