save the koalas
As more species become endangered and extinct, there will be more efforts to preserve species through vaccination campaigns, likely new vaccine formulation, disease monitoring systems, and eventually longevity enhancements.
Invasive species introduction has taken place intentionally and unintentionally many times. Although there are occasionally some positives, foodchains can be transformed and ecosystems can be shifted for the worse. Because of previous mishaps, the stance of most conservationists to date has been to interfere as little as possible.
However, with many species on the brink of extinction, the attitude around intervention has started to shift. Koalas, golden tamarins and hawaiian monk seals all have active, interventionist vaccination campaigns in train. In the case of koalas, chlamydia has been sweeping through the population and creating mass infertility due to cyst development in ovaries, which is problematic given the already limited population. Vaccination campaigns will hopefully reduce the damage and stop koalas from going extinct from 2050, which is the current trajectory. Golden tamarinds vaccination campaigns are geared towards fighting yellow fever and monk seals vaccination campaigns are focused on immunizing against Morbillivirus (group of viruses responsible for canine distemper and measles). These vaccination programs are conducted and funded through associated governments with vaccination campaigns slow going. Colonies of tamarins can take days to months to track down, and must be trapped for the inoculation to take place. Given the time and cost of this process it makes sense to layer in as many vaccines as possible as well as testing for diseases to which the endangered species might be exposed.
Venture models here aren’t immediately obvious because of the small and bespoke processes involved with endangered species vaccination. The government-centric sales cycle is another barrier to entry. However, biosurveillance around endangered species paired with improved vaccine formulations to include broader strains, servicing global ecosystems could have a compelling moat in an expanding market.
