What is the issue?
Like humans and domestic animals, wild animals can experience disease, may carry or be infected by pathogens, or suffer from toxic exposures. The effects can be detrimental to wildlife health and biodiversity; the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ recognises disease and toxins as threats to species survival. For example, H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) has caused unparalleled mortality of wild birds and mammals worldwide, with threats to population levels for some species.
Disease, pathogens, and toxins in wildlife may also threaten human health. Human activities are increasingly leading to habitat loss and degradation, which along with climate change and unsafe wildlife use and trade are increasing the risks of pathogen spillover from wildlife to humans. Over 60% of emerging pathogens are zoonotic (they have an animal origin), many from wildlife.
The most cost-effective way of addressing impacts from zoonotic pathogens is through prevention and preparedness measures, which includes the surveillance of wildlife diseases and their causes.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) defines surveillance as the systematic and ongoing collection, collation and analysis of information related to animal health, with the timely dissemination of information so that action can be taken.
Information collected through surveillance can:
- Provide a baseline understanding of wildlife health and reveal any changes.
- Detect immediate or potential threats and impacts, including emerging diseases.
- Support species conservation assessments and the development of action plans.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of disease management and risk reduction initiatives and guide refinements as needed.
- Demonstrate the absence of a disease or pathogen.
- Inform risk and impact assessments for human, animal and environmental health.