Wildlife Disease Surveillance: Protecting Animal Populations

Active wildlife disease surveillance prevents mass mortality events and enables rapid response to emerging pathogens affecting wild animal populations.

Key Facts

White-nose syndrome, caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has killed over 6 million North American bats
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is spreading through North American deer and elk populations with no known treatment
Avian influenza outbreaks periodically cause mass mortality in wild bird populations, including endangered species
Early disease detection in wildlife populations enables targeted intervention before catastrophic spread
Roadkill and dead wildlife sentinel networks provide valuable passive surveillance data at low cost
Climate change is expanding the range of disease vectors and pathogens into previously unaffected areas

Welfare Considerations

Wildlife disease causes immense suffering at population scale. Mass mortality events — whether from fungal infections, prion diseases, or viral outbreaks — involve individual animals experiencing prolonged distress before death. Active surveillance that detects outbreaks early enables interventions: treatment where possible, population management to reduce transmission, and biosecurity measures to prevent spread between wild and domestic populations. Investment in wildlife disease infrastructure is among the most cost-effective welfare interventions available, protecting millions of animals per program dollar.

What You Can Do

Report dead or sick wildlife to local wildlife authorities to contribute to passive surveillance networks
Support organizations that fund wildlife disease research and rapid response capabilities
Practice biosecurity when recreating in wildlife areas: clean gear, avoid spreading material between water bodies
Advocate for government funding of wildlife disease surveillance as an essential public good