Ceva Wildlife Research Fund

A fund dedicated to wildlife protection

The Ceva Wildlife Research Fund is an endowment fund whose objective is to finance applied research projects targeting wild animals to better control the risk of zoonoses, one of Ceva’s major commitments.

It is unique in that it contributes to the preservation of wildlife health, a field of animal health that is under-invested for not being economically viable.

Chaired by Dr. Marc Prikazsky and managed by its Director, Dr. Pierre-Marie Borne, this research endowment fund is a separate legal entity from Ceva Santé Animale.

A scientific committee of 7 people is responsible for giving advice on the various projects (selection, evaluation and follow-up). They meet at least once a year.

Ceva Wildlife Research Fund's missions

Committed to preserving biodiversity
Fighting against zoonoses – diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans
Facilitating interactions between wildlife, farm animals and humans

Ceva Santé Animale created the Wildlife Research Fund with the main objective to finance applied research projects, the results of which will be rapidly visible (three to five years maximum).

For Ceva Wildlife Research Fund projects, research efforts focus on the development of new techniques for the administration of preventive health solutions to ensure protection at source. Among the innovative solutions financed by the fund are vaccines, which are particularly effective in limiting the spread of interspecies diseases, which increase the risk of transmission to humans.

Australia’s koalas reproduction is endangered by chlamydia

Between 2018 and 2021, the koala population in Australia would have decreased by 30%.

Several reasons may explain this dramatic situation and the Australian authorities have declared the East Coast koalas as a threatened species since February 2022:

the destruction of their natural habitat due to fires othe increasing urbanization of the territory
the chlamydia that affects a vast majority of individuals concentrated in eastern Australia.

This lethal disease, which is becoming endemic in these populations in serious decline, is having an impact on their reproduction and long-term survival.

This is why Ceva, through its research endowment fund, is collaborating with the University of the Sunshine Coast in Brisbane, funding the final stage of their vaccine development and associated testing.

Work is underway to finalize the formulation of this vaccine candidate for local production. Ceva Wildlife Research Fund is also supporting additional studies to be used in the official registration process of the vaccine.

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Better controlling the risk of zoonoses

The risks arising from interactions between humans and wild animals are increasing: 75% of new infectious diseases affecting humans today are of animal origin and they originate mainly in wild animals. It is therefore urgent to act to better understand how these zoonotic diseases affect animals, and better treat them to avoid their spread to humans.

Because the control of diseases that occur in wildlife and the tracing of the origin of outbreaks are particularly complex, this fund will, among other things, support research to address these concerns.

A research fund in line with Ceva Santé Animale's commitments

Ceva defines itself as a company that goes beyond animal health, which is reflected in its commitment to the “One Health” concept. That’s why Ceva is dedicated to caring for all animals in order to preserve the biodiversity of our planet.

This approach, which integrates human, animal and environmental health, aims to strengthen the collaboration between the different disciplines and thus provide holistic answers.