Research overview: disease surveillance in Amur tigers

The endangered Amur (Siberian) tiger has been the subject of disease surveillance that uncovered cases of canine distemper virus infection causing neurologic disease and abnormal behavior in wild tigers, raising concern about an additional threat to an already vulnerable population. Documenting pathogens in such a small population is critical for conservation. This overview synthesizes the wildlife-disease literature rather than one citation, describing how surveillance detected distemper and other health threats in Amur tigers, why disease in tiny populations can have outsized conservation impact, and how findings inform management including potential vaccination and reservoir control. It matters because every disease threat to a critically reduced tiger population could affect its survival, making veterinary surveillance an essential tool for anticipating and mitigating risks to these rare big cats.