Elephant TB Initiative - Nepal TB Research

Nepal Elephant Healthcare and TB Surveillance Program

ECI launched this new program on July 1, 2007 with the hiring of a full time Nepali veterinarian.  WWF-Nepal has been active in support of this project.  Details coming soon...

The Twycross Zoo Conservation Welfare Fund has generously provided grant funds of £3,000 towards the completion of this important project. 

Breaking news... TB in elephants of Nepal - News Release

See the PDF of a PowerPoint presentation presented  at the 2006 meeting of the American Association
of Zoo Veterinarians  TB: Implications for Elephant Management in Asia  Caution large file, may load slowly on some connections

See the PDF of a PowerPoint presentation presented at the 2007 meeting of Zoos and Aquariums Committed to Conservation: Elephant Care International: TB Initiative  Caution large file, may load slowly on some connections

Update June 2006:  The Nepal TB research team has returned and samples from 120 elephants have cleared quarantine and are now being evaluated.  We expect to report results to Nepal in September.


Romeo is the name of this wild bull elephant in Nepal.   He has just been darted to calm him down after raiding this village.

Our TB work is vitally important.  Since 1994, 12 percent of Asian elephants in the U.S. have been diagnosed with TB.  Infection rates among captive elephants in Asia are unknown (one objective of this study), but human TB rates are higher than in the U.S.

Tuberculosis has not yet been reported in wild elephants, but where wild and captive elephants commingle there is potential for introduction.  For example, Romeo has mated with many captive elephants in Nepal—hence his name), and could become infected and introduce the disease to other wild elephants.

We must prevent the spread of TB to wild elephant populations
where diagnosis and treatment might be impossible.

This TB Project is the work of Dr. Kamal Giri, a veterinarian studying for his Masters degree at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) in Nepal.  Here he is testing blood samples from elephants for TB with the new Elephant TB STAT-PAK®, a rapid test developed by Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Medford, NY, USA.  Kamal was instrumental in obtaining the critical CITES permits necessary to transfer samples to the U.S. for additional testing. See collaborators below.

Nepalese researchers are at the forefront of research of TB in elephants.

Mr. Giri, has managed elephant care for many years in Chitwan National Park, Nepal.  This park was the scene of many historical visits by Kings, Queens, and Princes of British Royalty.  It is now home to one of the most successful breeding centers of endangered Asian elephants.

Dr. Sarad Paudel  is a recent graduate from the veterinary school at IAAS.  Together with Mr. Giri and Dr. Giri, he was the translator and collected medical history information from the mahouts (elephant handlers). 

This is a collaborative project with many institutions and individuals.  A full list is here. 

Previous announcements

December 2005
Goals and objectives: The goal of this project is to evaluate serologic techniques ((Rapid Test (now known as Elephant TB STAT-PAK®), MAPIA, ELISA, Immunoblot)) as screening tools that will accurately and quickly identify tuberculosis-infected elephants. The specific objective is to compare results of culture (the technique currently recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture) with the four experimental serological assays.

One-fourth of the estimated 60,000 Asian elephants remaining on earth are captive.  The vast majority of these 15,000 elephants live in Asia where they are used for work, ceremonies, and eco-tourism. To date, captive elephants in Asian range countries have not been systematically evaluated for TB. The close proximity to humans; the high prevalence of TB among humans in range countries; and the intermingling of captive and free-ranging elephants in some areas make TB a serious threat to this endangered species.

Since 1994, 12 percent of Asian elephants within the U.S. have been diagnosed with TB. In Nepal, researchers will sample over 100 elephants. The elephant handlers will also be tested. 

Serological tests would reduce the time to diagnosis, decrease animal and human exposure, and provide a cost effective means to increase surveillance of TB. These improvements will lead to fewer deaths from TB (by decreased environmental contamination and exposure of the susceptible population). Importantly, these technologies have potential application to a broad range of endangered species susceptible to TB for which suitable diagnostic techniques are currently lacking.

Elephant Care International is supporting this project financially and with personnel.  Dr. Susan Mikota, our co-founder and the Director of Veterinary Programs & Research, will spend the month of January in Nepal, giving oversight and assistance to veterinary students from Nepal and the U.S. in sample collection.  Update: Drs. Mikota (ECI) and Miller (Disney's Animal Kingdom) have been awarded a $4,500 grant to partially fund this Nepal TB Project. 

All donations of any size will help save elephants.