Looking after wildlife health is key to protecting biodiversity. Unexpected disease can decimate animal populations, pushing them towards extinction. As diseases evolve, they often spread to more species. For example, Avian Flu is killing millions of birds globally, but it is also infecting more and more mammals, including seals, pumas and foxes. Any serious drop in numbers of a species can affect biodiversity and we now know that has wider consequences for planetary, and human, health.

We train vets and biologists to be Disease Detectives, so they can spot any outbreaks quickly. We teach them to collect, store and analyse samples from the wildlife they work with at every opportunity. Doing this when animals are healthy builds a picture of what is ‘normal’, which then makes it easier to see when something is wrong. We focus on practical ways to stop disease spreading – from alternative feeding methods, to vaccination or even temporarily bringing some animals into captivity.