The IUCN and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have released updated guidelines for wildlife authorities and those working with wildlife.
The guidelines provide a framework to understand and mitigate risks associated with wildlife diseases and their potential impact on human health.
The focus of the surveillance is on diseases, pathogens, and toxic agents in free-ranging wildlife.
In a statement, the IUCN said over 60% of human pathogens are zoonotic, meaning they can jump from animals to humans.
While surveillance of domestic animals is widely conducted, surveillance of wildlife remains limited.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species recognises disease as a significant threat to species survival.
In addition, the overlap between biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and emerging infectious diseases increases the risk of disease transmission, making comprehensive wildlife surveillance critical.
The One Health Joint Plan of Action, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Health Organization (WHO) and WOAH emphasises the importance of protecting and restoring biodiversity, preventing ecosystem degradation, and supporting the health of people, animals, plants, and ecosystems.
Effective surveillance involves more than just collecting samples or conducting laboratory tests. It requires thoughtful planning to ensure that the benefits outweigh the costs and that all steps are properly set up. There are different types of surveillance that can be applied to suit different needs. They include active (systematic data collection), passive (reporting disease cases), event-based (rapid detection of unusual events), and sentinel (monitoring specific species). Rangers, hunters, local communities, and Indigenous peoples play crucial roles in these efforts, given their unique ability to detect changes in wildlife health.
The updated guidelines for the first time since 2015, offer a roadmap for designing effective surveillance programs, including defining clear objectives, involving relevant stakeholders, choosing appropriate strategies, and developing cost-effective budgets.
Safety and biosafety protocols are essential to protect humans and animals, while ethical and legal compliance ensures respect for local customs, necessary permissions, and animal welfare.
Surveillance programs should align with national strategies and international obligations, with WOAH Member States and Territories required to report on listed and emerging diseases.
Only authorised, trained, and qualified personnel should collect biological samples to uphold ethical standards and manage pathogen transmission risks.
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