Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an extremely contagious viral disease that is spreading into new regions across the globe, causing devastating socio-economic losses and serious damage to the livelihoods, food security, and nutrition for millions of small-scale farmers and pastoralists. In Mongolia, the effects of the epidemic have been particularly dire. In August 2016, PPR killed thousands of head of livestock, despite widespread vaccination. The disease also impacted wildlife, killing over 50 percent of the critically endangered Mongolian saiga antelope population in less than two months. This catastrophic loss of wildlife also caused immediate consequences for other endangered animals, including snow leopards, that depend on wild ungulates for food.

OUR APPROACH: Along with livestock health authorities, herders, biologists, wildlife health specialists, international aid organizations, and conservation NGOs, the working group has sought new ideas to free the country’s wildlife, economy, and livelihoods from this disease, and explore options for integrated management of wildlife and livestock health.