Mapping the pathways to advance global wildlife health surveillance

Global wildlife health surveillance has become increasingly important in the face of emerging infectious diseases, increased interactions at the human-wildlife interface, biodiversity loss and threats to ecosystem services.

With the rise in zoonotic diseases - such as Ebola, SARS and COVID-19 - and their potential for spillover events from wildlife to humans, effective surveillance is crucial for early detection, prevention and monitoring of wildlife populations for pathogens. Left unchecked, they could present increasing risks to public health, biodiversity, and food security especially for populations that depend on wildlife for food and the broader wildlife conservation through outbreaks that cause deaths among wild animals.

The recent workshop convened at the FAO headquarters from 6-8 May 2024 by the Wildlife Health Intelligence Network (WHIN) - part of the Science for Nature and People Partnership working group- brought to the fore the issues of wildlife health surveillance worldwide.

Building upon last year's successful gathering at the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) in Paris, this second meeting aimed to identify the next steps in formalizing a community of practice for implementing wildlife health surveillance globally. Discussions centered around developing communication strategies, fundraising plans, co-creating decision-making tools as well as advancing research on the non-market value of wildlife.

Additionally, experts at the workshop deliberated on various topics, including incorporating indigenous knowledge and participatory approaches into wildlife health surveillance, re-equilibrating conservation and environmental considerations, establishing standards for wildlife health surveillance data, and developing decision-making tools to prioritize surveillance efforts.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of collaboration, evidence-based approaches, and community engagement in advancing wildlife health surveillance globally. It represents a crucial step forward in strengthening surveillance efforts to safeguard global well-being and ecosystems.

FAO's commitment to wildlife health was underscored, highlighting its integration in multiple initiatives, including the integration of wildlife health surveillance into the early warning framework, collaboration with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Convention on Migratory Species to submit a resolution on avian influenza, Human-Wildlife-Livestock Interface mapping conceptual framework and the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme.

As such, wildlife health is a fundamental component of this approach, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health in safeguarding global well-being. WHIN is set to open a new chapter in the implementation of wildlife health surveillance at global scale, one that is driven by a community of practice and that will contribute to meet international guidelines and agreements with the collaborative strength of local, national, and international actors.