Veterinary Training Helps Save Endangered Species

Aim 1

Increase disease surveillance capacity in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe and surrounding area.

Activities

» Train field biologists and Zimbabwean vets in collecting samples from carnivores throughout the national park and surrounding area.
» Provide diagnostic equipment for a veterinary laboratory in Victoria Falls
» Provide training in how to use the diagnostic equipment and interpret the results.
» Facilitate a network of field biologists, vets and lab technicians to work together and share knowledge.

What success will look like

An increase in number of samples that are being collected and processed in the area

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Aim 2

Increase the survival rates of injured endangered birds of prey

Activities

» Provide first aid training for raptor rehabilitators in South Africa finding birds on a poisoned carcass
» Provide wet lab training to vets and rehabilitators in South Africa on how to fix broken wings and legs.
» Provide surgical, pre and post surgery training to deal with birds of prey caught up in cutting strings from the International Kite Festival, India
» (TBC) Support vets and husbandry experts training Bulgarian rehabilitators dealing with birds or prey electrocuted by pylons or hit by wind turbines.

What success will look like

Improvement of survival rate from injuries sustained and fitness of birds being released

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Aim 3

Increase disease surveillance capacity throughout the tiger’s range

Activities

» Mentor a Bangladeshi vet based with partners WildTeam and a disease surveillance pilot project in Bangladesh
» (TBC) Training workshops for the Annual meeting of the Sumatran Tiger Health Form
» Training to use sample analysis equipment provided to Bogor Primate Centre in order that they are able to test for distemper in Indonesia
» Continue to mentor the Russian vet overseeing disease surveillance in the Amur tiger’s range.

What success will look like

Continued dialogue with colleagues working in Russia and a growth of the disease surveillance work in Bangladesh and Sumatra

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Aim 4

Increase wildlife medicine capacity in the Seychelles

Activities

» Provide ongoing training to Marine Conservation Society Seychelles staff in rehabilitation of sea turtles and mud turtles.
» Provide ongoing training to Seychellois vets in anaesthesia, x-ray and medicine of their native wildlife.
» Train Island Conservation Seychelles staff on Aride Island in disease surveillance and mitigation strategies
» Train conservation organisations in Seychelles about how disease can affect the conservation of small populations

What success will look like

Increase in the number of turtles that can be rehabilitation and a stable (increasing?) number of Seychelles magpie robins on Aride Island

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Aim 5

Ongoing training and support for endangered bird and reptile species in Mauritius

Activities

» Provide ongoing training and support to Mauritius Wildlife Foundation staff to ensure disease does not affect the restoration of species

What success will look like

We will see at least the same amount of involvement in conservation planning and disease surveillance samples to advise on.

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Impact

WVI’s vision is to see well equipped and staffed diagnostic veterinary laboratories working with experienced field staff and wildlife vets in-county to reduce the threat of extinction to endangered species from disease.

Success would be demonstrated by a reduction of support to a level experienced by any network of professionals while identifying new areas for training, advice and support. This would occur both within the projects and countries mentioned in the ‘Aims’ and in new areas.

Risk

Conservation is dependent on people. Should key people change responsibilities and so are unable to facilitate our projects in-country or funding is limited, timings will be affected.

WVI believes that a series of short training sessions backed up by bespoke manuals and ongoing mentoring is key to increasing capacity within the areas we work. Therefore we have a rolling 2-3 year programme for all our projects.

Reporting

Donors will get the reports from each of these projects either in full and/or as part of an informative newsletter. Donors will be appropriately tagged in any news that is published on the Website or on Social Media. WVI staff will give talks when appropriate.

Budget - Project Cost: £43,420

	Amount	Heading	Description
	£8,580	Training costs in Zimbabwe	Training of field staff in disease surveillance and sample collection
	£7,260	Training costs in India	Training Jivdaya Charitable Trust staff in pre and post surgical treatment and vets in surgery
	£12,620	Training costs in South Africa	3 x training courses for rehabilitators and vets in bird of prey first aid
	£3,380	Training in Bulgaria	Training rehabilitators in first aid and rehabilitation of birds of prey
	£7,730	Training in tiger range countr	Hands on training, mentoring and guidance for vets and field biologists involved in tiger conservati
	£3,850	Training in Mauritius	ongoing training and support for field staff involved with species recovery

Current Funding / Pledges

Source	Amount
Mauritius Wildlife Foundation	£500	Conditional
Kwaggas View Lodge and in country partners	£2,800	Conditional
Private donor	£2,500	Conditional
IFAW - Rus	£3,000	Guaranteed
Painted Dog Conservation and other in country partners	£1,000	Conditional
Homer Forbes International	£5,600	Conditional
Knowsley Safari Park	£3,000	Guaranteed

Location

WVI across the world mostly works in countries with high biodiversity and in some cases, with species only found in that country. All species are endangered and share threats from man through poaching and habitat loss.

Government veterinary departments are underfunded and have little experience with wildlife medicine. Conservation and veterinary graduates in these countries have little wildlife or conservation medicine training.

Beneficiaries

Our training targets individuals working on species conservation in country. They tend to be field biologists working for local or international NGOs, Government staff in relevant departments and veterinarians working independently, for NGOs or for the Government.

Why Us?

WVI has a successful and unique track record of carrying out disease surveillance in endangered species across the world from tigers in Russia, Sumatra and Bangladesh to pink pigeons in Mauritius. We have also produced the first comprehensive Disease Risk Assessment for a big cat reintroduction: the Amur leopard.

WVI has installed diagnostic equipment to a clinic in Seychelles and to Zimbabwe.

We believe the key to long term conservation is by establishing sustainable capacity in-country.

Read more about the Charity running this project.

People

Dr John Lewis

Carnivore expert and project leader and vet on the tiger, Amur leopard and Painted dog projects

Andrew Greenwood

Reptile and avian expert and is project leader for our projects in the Indian Ocean and vet for the Mauritius project

Johanna Storm

Avian and reptile surgeon and is the main vet for our projects in India and the Seychelles.

Neil Forbes

Bird of prey expert, project leader and vet for our South Africa project