The Institute at Etosha National Park, Namibia

In agreement with the Namibian Veterinary Services, the veterinarians at Etosha National Park requested Istituto G. Caporale's epidemiological support in declaring the entire park area free of foot-and-mouth disease. The meeting to establish future activities and reach the set objective took place on 19 June 2010 at the Etosha Ecological Institute. Etosha National Park would thus be the first large national park in Africa to be declared foot-and-mouth-free.

The park is located in the North of Namibia and covers an area of 22,000 km². In the Oshivambo language   - spoken by the Ovambo people who live in the region - Etosha means "great white place", referring to the colour of the saltpan that spreads over 25% of the area. The park was founded in 1907, when Namibia was a German colony and was still called German South-West Africa. At the time, its area of 100,000 km² made it the largest game reserve in the world, although in the 60s its size was gradually reduced to its present dimensions.

The Park holds 114 species of mammals, 340 of birds, 110 of reptiles, 16 of amphibians and even a species of fish. The mammals in the park include elephants, springbok, Burchell's zebra, giraffe, oryx, kudu, gnu, eland, dik dik, lions, hyenas, jackals, leopards, cheetahs, and black and white rhinoceros.