The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2022 raised £29,132.74 for wild tiger health. Following the challenge we approached our partners and invited them to tell us where these funds would be best spent under the aims of the campaign:

·       Support the rehabilitation of sick and injured wild tigers through training, clinical support and knowledge - sharing, both in the field and remotely.

·       Make sure conservation and veterinary staff know how to monitor and tackle disease threats, like canine distemper virus which is affecting more and more tiger populations. We help design effective disease surveillance programmes and build local diagnostic capacity.

·       Provide veterinary expertise and advice for translocations and reintroductions of tigers to new areas, or areas that were historically part of the tiger’s range.  

After a slow start, we are delighted to tell you that two projects have been initiated to develop equipment that will help wildlife vets while anaesthetising in field conditions and overcoming one of the stumbling blocks to truly understanding the risk that canine distemper virus poses to tiger populations across their range. In addition, we continued our support for the Wild Tiger Health Project as a central knowledge hub for anyone involved in wild tiger health.

A summary of the aims, outcomes and indicators of success are below:

Developing a low cost, portable, robust point of care diagnostic panel suitable for use in the field.

Aim: to develop portable, reliable and affordable point-of-care diagnostic panel of tests that will enable wildlife vets to carry out safer anaesthesia in the field.

Outcome: a readily available, validated and trialed diagnostic panel of tests

Indicator of success: using the published media, other wildlife vets will develop their own panel and use it when immobilising wildlife

‍The development of ELISA assay for CDV antibodies

Aim: to develop a test for CDV antibodies that can be performed in local laboratories with relatively basic facilities and readily be deployed to all tiger range states.

Output: a validated ELISA test that can be easily reproduced/bought

Indicator of success: wildlife vets throughout tiger countries analyse their archived samples for CDV antibodies.

‍Sharing knowledge: Wild Tiger Health Project

Aim: to provide a one-stop hub for veterinary information relevant to the conservation of wild tigers, disseminating information, connecting wildlife professionals and delivering on-line training.

Outcome: Continued population of the Wild Tiger Health Project website and ensuring free access to those working in tiger conservation.

Indicator: new information is uploaded to the website and it continues to be consulted by those working in wild tiger conservation.

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