 In the far north-west of Kenya, on a spear of land between the Megila Mountains, bordering South Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda, is Takana County, home to the second-largest pastoralist community in Kenya after the Maasai. In the 1990s, Takana was the site of one of Kenya and the world's last-known outbreaks of the deadly Rindapest virus, a disease that affects cattle, yaks and buffalo. Although the 90s outbreak was a milder version of the deadly virus, older herders still remember the devastation caused by earlier outbreaks in the mid-1900s. Emoria Aropacol Paracol is one of them. With a mortality rate of up to 95%, Rindapest was the most destructive livestock disease ever known, before it was confirmed globally eradicated in 2011. While there's no more threat of Rindapest in the wild, it's still stored in certain laboratories around the world, and risk exists around the potential for an escape of the virus, whether accidental or deliberate. What would happen if Rindapest re-emerged? There would be very traumatic deaths of livestock because of no immunity and this would kill up to 95% of the livestock, and this would impact food security of the communities. This would impact on their earnings because they would be trade bonds, so they would not be able to sell their livestock. And therefore, it would also affect the economies of the country, and it would require a lot of resources to control and prevent, and, eventually, get the disease. One of the challenges of recognising Rindapest if it re-emerges is the similarities between the clinical signs of Rindapest and those of certain other diseases, including foot and mouth disease or FMD. Kenya's Nekuru County is currently experiencing an outbreak of FMD. The typical clinical signs of foot and mouth disease is mouth rations and also foot rations. In Rindapest, you don't see foot rations, but you see tear links and also nose discharges. You also get diarrhea in Rindapest and mortality rate is higher. If a livestock owner suspects an animal may have either of these diseases, the veterinary services should be called as they can then institute immediate quarantine so that the disease is prevented from spreading and healthy livestock can be vaccinated. It's important that local communities understand that regulations are in place to protect not only the animals, but also farmers' livelihoods. And in countries like Kenya, where 40% of people are employed in livestock farming, it's critical to the nation's economy. By working together, animal health professionals and livestock owners can help ensure that if Rindapest ever returns, they are prepared.