Wildlife Health Market (By Animal Type: Mammals, Birds; By End-use: Wildlife Sanctuaries, Zoos; By Product: Equipment & Consumables, Medicine; By Route Of Administration) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Revenue, Regional Outlook and Forecast 2023-2032

The global wildlife health market size was estimated at around USD 2.26 billion in 2022 and it is projected to hit around USD 5.82 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 9.92% from 2023 to 2032. The wildlife health market in the United States was accounted for USD 574 million in 2022.

Key Pointers

• The North America region held over 31% revenue share of the market in 2022. 
•  Asia Pacific region is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of approximately 11.03% over the projected period. 
• In 2022, the mammals segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 46%. Several species of wild mammals
• The reptiles animal type segment willregister the fastest CAGR of around 11.03% over the forecast period
• The equipment and consumables segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of over 10.05% during the projected timeline.
• The injectable route of administration held the dominant share of over 46% in 2022. 
• The oral route of drug administration is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of more than 10.04% over the projected timeline.
• The zoos segment held the dominant market share of over 31% in 2022
• The wildlife rescue & rehab centers segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of around 10.55% over the forecast period.

Report Scope of the Wildlife Health Market

Some of the key factors driving the market include the increasing number of emerging & re-emerging zoonotic diseases from wild animal origins, growing government intervention in protecting wildlife Animal health by acknowledging its interconnectedness with human health, collaboration framework of multiple public sectors to promote wildlife conservation with funded programs, and growing establishments of national parks, zoos, and animal protection sanctuaries with standardized animal care. For instance, the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate has launched the “Vision-Plan 2021 - 2031” strategy that focuses on strengthening Central Zoo Authority and transforming Indian zoos with global standards to have advanced animal care.

The COVID-19 infection brought unprecedented changes in wildlife activities, with extensive lockdown measures and supply chain disruptions. According to an article published on May 2022 by the National Library of Medicine, the pandemic-imposed restrictions on movements have simultaneously reduced the patrolling and monitoring activities in several areas of wildlife facilities. The reduced forest-law enforcement, in turn, has increased the opportunities for illegal wildlife hunting by poachers. Furthermore, the pandemic has delayed funding services for wildlife management in several parts of the globe. For instance, according to the Euro Group for Animals Organization, the pandemic has delayed public funding to provide free emergency care for distressed & injured wild animals.

Organizations, such as OIE (World Organization for Animal Health), have been striving for over a decade to support & improve wildlife health. Their key figures indicate that around 40% of amphibians, 25% of mammals, and 14% of birds are under threat of extinction. To mitigate this, several steps have been taken by governments of various countries along with key wildlife organizations, such as the World Wilde Fund (WWF), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and National Resources Defense Council, Inc. among others, thereby protecting wild animals. In addition, OIE also states that 72% of the emerging infectious diseases around the world have a wildlife origin. Therefore, a well-advanced disease surveillance system and management measures with necessary medications may reduce the burden of life-threatening diseases similar to COVID-19.

The recent report published by the WWF Living Planet on October 2022 revealed that the global wildlife population has declined by 69% since 1970. Therefore, to conserve and protect wild species, the national governments of many countries are implementing measures to establish new biosphere reserves, national parks, sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and other conservation facilities. Moreover, veterinary drugs play an important role in wildlife research and management. Several medicines are used in wildlife facilities for multiple purposes, including capturing & transporting animals, treating injuries, preventing diseases with core wild animal vaccinations, and rehabilitating or rescuing distressed animals, among others. These affirmative factors are significantly contributing to the growth of the market.

Animal Type Insights

In 2022, the mammals segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 46%. Several species of wild mammals, such as lions, elephants, tigers, monkeys, leopards, bears, pandas, giraffes, zebra, wild canines & felines, wild cattle, and whales, among others, are found majorly in the wildlife spaces with enormous protection measures. For instance, FAO states that the ‘Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996’ has been implemented to specifically protect wild mammals against any source of harm. Furthermore, organizations like Wildlife Vets International, Worldwide Veterinary Service, and Smithsonian Institution have been supporting tiger veterinary care projects in India, Bangladesh, Russia, the U.S., and Indonesia, among other countries, to provide vital veterinary medication treatments in local conservations.

The reptiles animal type segment willregister the fastest CAGR of around 11.03% over the forecast period. The ample availability of non-prescription reptile medicines and the increasing need to protect several reptile species from extinction are some of the factors contributing to the substantial segment growth. In addition, the birds segment is also expected to growsignificantly over the forecast period owing to the increasing number of rehab facilities with trained veterinarians dedicated to protecting captive wild birds. Furthermore, the number of bird protection helplines and rescue centers is growing in developed countries to treat abandoned or injured wild birds immediately.

Product Insights

Based on products, the medicine segment dominated the market with the highest revenue share in 2022. According to the guidelines published by the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, every zoo and aquarium must have on-site veterinary pharmacies to routinely supply basic veterinary drugs, such as antibiotics, anesthetics, emergency resuscitative medications, analgesics, fluids, anthelmintics, and tranquilizers, among others. Immobilizing drugs, such as tranquilizers, sedatives/hypnotics, narcotics, dissociative/combination drugs, and reversals or antagonist drugs, have been extensively used as a part of veterinary practices in wildlife management. The wide usage and requirement of medicines in rehabilitation & rescue centers further contribute to the substantial segment share.

The equipment and consumables segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of over 10.05% during the projected timeline owing to its ample commercial availability for wildlife veterinary purposes. According to the Indian Central Zoo Authority, every mini to large-sized zoo in the country must be equipped with critical care units, diagnostic/vital monitoring systems, surgical supplies, stretchers, medical tool kit, electro-surgical units, medicine baits, color doppler ultrasound, and animal tranquilizing guns, among others. The growing technological advancements in equipment to make wildlife health management easy for zoo keepers, sanctuary veterinarians, and other key personnel in wildlife facilities are further supporting the growth of the segment.

Route Of Administration Insights

The injectable route of administration held the dominant share of over 46% in 2022. The veterinarians and wildlife officers are mostly involved in tranquilizing or sedating animals in national parks, sanctuaries, and zoos, typically using intramuscular or intravenous injections. Some injectable drugs are also provided through a subcutaneous route based on the requirements. In addition, the remote drug delivery system has now become a safe and easy way of delivering vaccines, medicines, and sedatives to wild animals. As per an article published by the National Library of Medicine on March 2022, double dart injection guns are used efficiently at a distance of 5-20 meters to deliver medicines to wild animals.

The oral route of drug administration is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of more than 10.04% over the projected timeline. The NC Department of Health and Human Services reported on September 2022 that the wildlife services department would be distributing consumable forms of rabies vaccines through 500,000 oral baits in the borders of North Carolina Zones, targeting wild raccoons. Moreover, the World Organization for Animal Health published a report on September 29, 2022, stating that oral vaccine baits have been successfully implemented to prevent rabies from wildlife reservoirs in North America and Europe.

End-use Insights

The zoos segment held the dominant market share of over 31% in 2022. The substantial share is owing to the strict standards & guidelines followed in the zoological parks with employed trained veterinarians to offer medical services for captive animals. With over 2,400 zoos located just in the U.S., all of the animals are provided routine veterinary care with several invasive medical procedures. Moreover, zoos in developing countries like India have on-site veterinary hospitals with the required personnel and laboratory facilities to meet the global standards of wildlife health preventative measures.

The wildlife rescue & rehab centers segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of around 10.55% over the forecast period. With the growing number of people valuing wildlife conservation & preventing wild animal extinctions, the count of volunteer wild animal rehabilitators and rescue teams who protects abandoned, injured, or wounded animals is also increasing. According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine in March 2022, millions of native wild animals are rescued, rehabilitated, and protected by wildlife rehabilitators each year globally.

Regional Insights

The North America region held over 31% revenue share of the market in 2022. The significant availability of wildlife veterinary care facilities, advanced technologies in delivering medicines for animals in sanctuaries/zoos, increasing government initiatives to prevent zoonotic diseases from wild reservoirs, ample number of trained wildlife veterinarians, and the growing number of wildlife conservation measures, programs, and funding activities, are some of the key factors contributing to the region’s growth.

On the other side, the Asia Pacific region is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of approximately 11.03% over the projected period. As a part of the ‘One Health’ approach, wildlife health stakeholders are networking and working together across the Asia region to protect the health of wild animals. The World Organization for Animal Health indicated that the wildlife health framework would enhance the existing networks and their goals to achieve the strategy of protecting animals and associated human health. Moreover, with several biodiverse countries, the region is home to multiple species of wild animals coupled with country-wise wildlife protection systems.

Wildlife Health Market Segmentations:

By Animal Type 

• Mammals
• Birds
• Fish
• Reptiles
• Amphibians

By Product 

• Medicine
  • Immobilizing Drugs
  • Pharmaceutical Drugs
  • Vaccines
  • Other Medicines
• Equipment & Consumables

By Route of Administration 

• Oral
• Injectable
• Others

By End-use 

• Zoos
• Wildlife Sanctuaries
• Wildlife Rescue & Rehab Centers
• Others

By Regional 

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • U.K.
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • Australia
  • South Korea
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
• MEA
  • South Africa