8.D.2 Review of wildlife exotic disease preparedness in
Australia
How prepared is Australia to deal with an outbreak of disease in
wildlife? Many diseases that could significantly affect our
economy, environment or society have wildlife hosts or carriers,
including invasive animal species. Recent examples that have
had a huge impact overseas are foot-and-mouth disease and avian
influenza. Responding quickly and effectively to such
diseases is essential to minimise harm to our natural
fauna, livestock and people. This project aimed to
summarise and review research, training and
infrastructure related to wildlife disease preparedness
in Australia, particularly with respect to diseases involving
invasive animals.
The first part of the project was to summarise Australian
research in this area. Projects funded by the Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's Wildlife and Exotic Disease
Preparedness Program (WEDPP) and scientific journal articles
published between 1999 and 2008 were reviewed. A copy of the review
Research on Wildlife Disease
Preparedness in Australia can be downloaded from the
'Documents' section of this page.
The second part of the project was to hold a
national workshop of experts to review this research, and the
current status of disease preparedness in Australia. The aim was to
identify knowledge gaps and priorities for future research.
training and infrastructure. The workshop report Workshop Proceedings — Review of
Wildlife Exotic Disease Preparedness in Australia can
be downloaded from the 'Documents' section of this page.
Representatives from all states
attended, from departments of agriculture and environment,
universities, the Australian Wildlife Health Network, Australian
Registry of Wildlife Health, the IA CRC and the Australian
Biosecurity CRC. Two representatives from New Zealand’s
Department of Conservation and Landcare Research also attended. The
workshop was partly funded by WEDPP, and held in Canberra in April
2008.
The workshop produced specific recommendations for
research and training. Participants strongly agreed it is crucial
for Australia to have a national body to coordinate wildlife
disease preparedness activities including research, surveillance,
training and information management. Wildlife health must not fall
off the national agenda - it is essential to protect Australia's
trade and minimise any potential impacts on public health and
biodiversity.
Priorities identified for research
include: targeted disease surveillance, basic wildlife ecology
including population distribution and contact rates, identifying
and prioritising diseases of native species, impacts of climate /
landuse change on emerging diseases, a cross-sectoral approach for
managing the ecology of emerging wildlife diseases and enhanced
modelling for contingency planning.
Priorities for training and
preparedness include an immediate review and updating of
AUSVETPLAN’s Wild Animal Response Strategy and of a list of
key personnel involved in dealing with a disease outbreak. Regular
field and desk exercises on responding to an emergency
outbreak were also recommended. Reviews of animal welfare
guidelines, and of legislation relevant to wildlife health and
disease outbreak (eg legality of poison deployment) were other
recommendations.
