05/10/2026
Tajikistan strengthens capacity for zoonosis spillover prevention in protected areas
Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 29 September 2026 – In Tajikistan’s mountain landscapes, the health of wildlife, livestock and people is closely connected. Where wild ungulates and domestic livestock share grazing areas, diseases can move between animals and potentially create risks for people. Rangers and others working closest to wildlife can therefore play an important role in spotting unusual signs early – before a potential disease event becomes a wider concern.
Strengthening this frontline capacity, and connecting it with veterinary, conservation and public health expertise, was at the heart of a practical One Health and biosafety training held in Dushanbe from 24 to 26 September. The training brought together around 20 protected area professionals, rangers, veterinarians, researchers and specialists in wildlife, livestock, ecosystem and human health from across Tajikistan.
Zoonotic spillover occurs when a pathogen passes from an animal host to a person. Reducing the risk means understanding and managing what happens where wildlife, livestock, people and their shared environment interact – and ensuring that those who first observe potential warning signs know how to act and who to inform.
“Nature conservation is an important part of the One Health approach. By maintaining healthy ecosystems and wildlife populations, and better understanding where wildlife, livestock and people interact, we can help prevent and reduce the risk of zoonotic disease spillover,” said Dao Nguyen, Senior Programme Manager, IUCN Conservation Action. “Protected areas and the people who manage and study them have a pivotal role to play in connecting biodiversity conservation with wider health security.”
The wildlife–livestock interface is particularly relevant in Tajikistan’s mountain landscapes. In 2010, an outbreak of pneumonia associated with Mycoplasma capricolum killed at least 64 Heptner’s markhor. The disease agent was also associated with domestic goats grazing in the same Pamir landscapes, illustrating how closely wildlife and livestock health can be connected.
“Wildlife health cannot be monitored by veterinarians and researchers alone,” said Rustam Sharipov, Head of the Department for Wildlife Disease Studies, Institute of Medicinal Veterinary. “Information from rangers and conservation professionals in the field can help us investigate potential disease events earlier and better understand risks at the wildlife–livestock interface. Building stronger links between field observations and veterinary expertise is an important part of developing an effective wildlife disease surveillance system.”
Participants reflected the range of institutions involved in managing these risks. They included rangers from Beshai Palangon State Nature Reserve and Yaghnob National Nature Park, managers of the Miron and Rav ba Umed hunting concessions, and representatives of the State Institution “Specially Protected Natural Areas” and the Association of Hunters of Tajikistan. Veterinary and scientific expertise was represented by the State Veterinary Service, the Forestry Agency under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Institute of Medicinal Veterinary, the Institute of Zoology and Parasitology, Dushanbe veterinary clinic/Dushanbe Zoo, as well as Khatlon Nature Stewards and Tajikistan Nature Foundation.
Tajikistan’s community-based conservation model provides an important opportunity to strengthen wildlife health monitoring. Rangers and hunting-concession staff working in mountain landscapes have regular opportunities to observe populations of markhor, urial and ibex, building on their existing experience in wildlife monitoring and conservation.
“Community-based conservation depends on people having a direct stake in the wildlife and landscapes they protect,” said Mirzonazar Mirzoev, Director of the Tajikistan Nature Foundation. “Adding wildlife health and disease awareness to existing conservation work can strengthen that stewardship. It gives local conservation practitioners another tool to protect wildlife populations while also helping reduce risks for livestock and communities.”
For rangers themselves, the training focused on practical skills that can be applied directly in the field.
“We spend every day in these landscapes and know the wildlife we protect. We are often among the first to notice when an animal behaves differently, appears sick or when we find an unexplained mortality,” said Davron Begzhikov, Chief Ranger, Beshai Palangon State Nature Reserve. “This training has helped us understand what signs to look for, how to protect ourselves and others, and what to do when we encounter something unusual.”
Through technical sessions, practical exercises and realistic scenarios, participants explored wildlife disease surveillance and early warning, biosecurity, safe wildlife handling, personal protective equipment, wildlife mortality events and structured disease-risk assessment. They also examined how environmental conditions and interactions between wildlife, livestock and people can influence disease risks.
The training comes at a time when Tajikistan is strengthening its national capacity on wildlife disease. A new department for wildlife disease research has been established at the Institute of Medicinal Veterinary, with support from Tajikistan Nature Foundation, including through the 1Health4Nature project. Strengthening links between this emerging scientific capacity, veterinary services and those observing wildlife in the field could help improve the detection, investigation and management of wildlife disease risks.
“Reducing the risk of zoonotic spillover works best when everyone understands both their own role and when to involve others,” said Dr Jonathan Sleeman, lead trainer for the Tajikistan national training, One Health Science. “The goal is to ensure that information moves quickly and safely from those who first observe something unusual to those best placed to investigate and respond.”
The training concluded with participants developing One Health action plans, translating the knowledge and skills gained during the three-day programme into practical steps for their own protected areas and organisations. The plans focused on strengthening surveillance, managing potential disease risks and improving coordination between those working with wildlife in the field and the scientific, veterinary and other authorities responsible for investigating and responding to potential threats.
