LAHORE, October 5, 2026: The Punjab Wildlife & Parks Department held a meeting with a team from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to explore capacity-building and training opportunities for wildlife professionals under Pakistan’s One Health approach.
The discussions focused on strengthening the skills of wildlife veterinarians, rangers and other frontline staff in the recognition, reporting, prevention and response to wildlife diseases.
The meeting also discussed the introduction of FAO’s Frontline Training Program for Wildlife, Environment, Biodiversity and Ecosystems (FTP-WEBE), which aims to improve the capacity of professionals working at the frontline of wildlife and environmental protection.
The FAO team also visited Safari Zoo Lahore, including its Wildlife Hospital, to learn about the department’s facilities and ongoing work related to wildlife health, veterinary care and disease surveillance.
The collaboration highlights the importance of stronger wildlife health systems in protecting biodiversity and preventing the spread of diseases among wildlife, domestic animals and humans.
Under the One Health approach, the health of people, animals and ecosystems is closely connected. Strengthening wildlife disease surveillance and response can therefore contribute to healthier ecosystems and more effective conservation efforts.
The proposed training and capacity-building cooperation between FAO and the Punjab Wildlife & Parks Department could further strengthen the skills of wildlife professionals and support better protection of wildlife and natural ecosystems in Punjab.
