A recent letter (below) from Dr. Chris Cebra (DVM and noted camelid/llama veterinary researcher at Oregon State University) exonerates camelids from disease threats being purported by the The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA), various government agencies, and special interest groups such as the Wild Sheep Foundation.
To download Dr. Chris Cebra's letter (09-11-2024) go to this link:
Why Is This Important?
Although WAFA and special interest groups have no regulatory power, they influence government agencies to enact government regulations restricting the use of pack llamas on public lands and promote the spread of misinformation.
Memo from: The ad hoc Committee for Llama Access to Public Lands
"The latest WAFWA brief dated 07/03/24, advocating testing llamas for conditional access to wild sheep ranges, is based on two assumptions: 1) There is not adequate data regarding diseases carried by llamas. 2) There is not enough history regarding disease transference between llamas and other species known to carry diseases that affect wild sheep.
Dr. Chris Cebra, DVM, noted camelid/llama veterinary researcher at Oregon State University, has written the attached letter that responds to the brief and exposes the error of these base assumptions. It calls into serious question the recommendation of the brief to require testing for llamas entering wild sheep habitat.
Please read the letter in its entirety but take particular note of the following points:
-Llamas are not new to North America, in fact it’s their point of origin, specifically western NA.
-Llamas have been commingled with sheep, domestic and wild, for eons with only sporadic and terminal disease crossover, typically involving llamas being atypically infected by the sheep.
-Llamas have been under direct human control and observation for thousands of years and no endemic diseases have been identified.
-Llamas are noted to have a robust immune system and the emphasis in llama disease research is focused on researching and trying to develop a means of replicating this immunity in other species. This emphasis and effort validates the first three points. Researchers and scientists have observed the historic lack of endemic disease and the lack of disease transference in llamas and are putting a lot of effort and money into understanding and replicating the phenomenon. The promise of using llama’s immunity to cure/prevent disease in other species and humans has created a lot of excitement. It completely undermines WAFWA’s position that llamas require testing because they are new to veterinary observation and research and are without documented history.
-He addresses the error of WAFWA equating disease titers with indication of infection. It is simply an indication of their predictable and dependable immune response. It also points out the constant presence of ruminant pathogens.
-He points out the arbitrary reality of zero tolerance/precautionary principle applied to llamas and not to other species.
-He characterizes the “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence” statement as unrealistic and paralysing in the real world.
The ad hoc committee for Llama Access to Public Lands will follow this message with their own response to the brief. There are additional substantive issues that require WAFWA’s response."
The ad hoc committee for Llama Access to Public Lands
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For a complete history go to packllamas.org under the "Chronology" heading (below) and follow the links to various supporting documents such as WAFA's SAC Brief, Dr. Cebra's letter and the Ad Hoc Committee's response.
"Chronology of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) -Wild Sheep Initiative (WSI) and Wildlife Health Committee and Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) participation in the South American Camelid (SAC)-Briefs"
Final WAFWA-WSI-WHC SAC-Brief (07-03-2024) https://www.packllamas.org/pdf/akban/hidden/brief-on-sac-risk-to-wild-sheep5july2024_final.pdf
Dr. Cebra letter to the WAFWA-WSI-WAC on the issue of camelid pathogens and wildsheep (09-11-2024)
https://www.packllamas.org/pdf/akban/cebra-letter.pdf
Ad hoc Public Lands Access Committee response to the final WAFWA-WSI-WHC SAC-Brief (11-22-2024)
Ad hoc Public Lands Access Committee response to the final WAFWA-WSI-WHC SAC-Brief (11-22-2024)
