Wildlife expert seeks snake protection laws to curb Lassa fever

Nigeria needs stronger legal protections for snakes and other wildlife to help control the spread of zoonotic diseases, including Lassa fever, according to wildlife conservation expert Dr. Mark Ofua. He argues that the current practice of indiscriminately killing snakes, which are natural predators of rodents, directly contributes to the proliferation of disease-carrying rats.

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The government should put deliberate laws and regulations in place to protect our snakes.

Dr. Ofua, also a veterinarian, emphasized the critical role snakes play in regulating rat populations, particularly the multimammate rats that transmit the Lassa fever virus. "The government should put deliberate laws and regulations in place to protect our snakes," he stated. He observed that snakes are a common feature in bushmeat markets, and as their populations decline, rat numbers increase, heightening disease risk.

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As we continue to decimate snake populations, rats multiply, increasing the risk of diseases.

Instead of direct rat elimination efforts, Ofua advocates for allowing natural ecological processes to function by protecting the animals that prey on them. He also called for public awareness campaigns to shift negative perceptions of animals like snakes, owls, and cats, which he described as vital allies in preventing rodent-borne diseases. The expert warned that the widespread use of rodenticides is also harming birds of prey, such as owls and eagles, which die after consuming poisoned rodents, thereby weakening nature's rodent control mechanisms.

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The use of rat poison is decimating our owls and other birds of prey because they cannot distinguish poisoned rats from healthy ones. They eat them and die, weakening nature’s ability to control rodents.

Furthermore, Ofua pushed for stricter regulation of the bushmeat trade, including a ban on hunting, selling, and importing primates due to Ebola transmission risks. He clarified that wildlife conservation is not about preventing meat consumption but about sustainable resource management and public health protection. "If wildlife remains in its natural habitat, humans are less exposed to diseases transmitted from animals," he concluded, stressing that healthy ecosystems are a primary defense against zoonotic disease outbreaks.

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If wildlife remains in its natural habitat, humans are less exposed to diseases transmitted from animals.