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| Wildlife Health Australia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Wildlife Health Australia |
| Type | Non-profit organisation |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
| Area served | Australia |
| Mission | National coordination of wildlife health surveillance, disease preparedness and response |
Wildlife Health Australia is an Australian non-profit organisation dedicated to national coordination of wildlife health surveillance, disease preparedness and response. It operates as a central node linking veterinary pathology, biosecurity, conservation planning and environmental management to detect, report and mitigate threats to native fauna. The organisation works with state and territory agencies, zoological collections, academic institutions and non-governmental organisations to support evidence-based responses to wildlife disease events.
Wildlife Health Australia functions as a national focal point for wildlife disease information, reporting, veterinary pathology coordination and risk assessment. It synthesises inputs from the Australian Government portfolio agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia), state and territory agriculture departments, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and university veterinary schools including the University of Sydney Faculty of Veterinary Science and the University of Melbourne Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences. The organisation provides centralised databases, diagnostic networks and communication channels used by wildlife managers, park authorities like Parks Australia and terrestrial conservation agencies including the Department of Environment and Water (South Australia), the Department for Environment and Water (South Australia), and the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. It liaises with zoological institutions such as the Taronga Conservation Society Australia and the Melbourne Zoo, and links to public health bodies like the Australian Department of Health and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.
Wildlife Health Australia was established following national concern about emerging threats exemplified by events that engaged agencies like the Australian Veterinary Association and research centres including the Australian Animal Health Laboratory at Geelong. Its formation drew on precedents in coordinated animal health responses seen in institutions such as the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health and on the operational models of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Early collaborations involved state pathology services including the Veterinary Laboratories Services (Victoria), academic partners such as the University of Queensland and international links to bodies like the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Over time it expanded databases, reporting standards and stakeholder networks to respond to incidents such as avian mortality events, amphibian declines noted by the Australian Museum and marine mammal strandings documented by the Australian Marine Mammal Centre.
The organisation is governed by a board comprising representatives from member organisations including state agriculture departments, veterinary professional bodies like the Australian Veterinary Association, research institutions such as the University of Tasmania and conservation NGOs such as the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. Funding streams have included contributions from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, state and territory environment portfolios, project grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), partnerships with industry groups like the Meat & Livestock Australia and philanthropic support from organisations such as the Ian Potter Foundation. Governance frameworks align with national biosecurity arrangements embodied in the Biosecurity Act 2015 and intergovernmental mechanisms like the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee.
Wildlife Health Australia delivers national programs for disease surveillance, incident response, diagnostic coordination and stakeholder training. Core services include the national wildlife health information portal, reporting pathways used by the RSPCA Australia and state wildlife care organisations, diagnostic referral agreements with laboratories such as the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute and the Arthur Rylah Institute, and training workshops delivered in partnership with entities like the Zoos Victoria and the Australian Museum Research Institute. The organisation issues disease watch notices, supports wildlife rehabilitation protocols used by groups such as the Australian Seabird Rescue and produces guidance for threatened species managers listed under state threatened species legislation, sometimes in coordination with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 processes administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Surveillance initiatives link field reports from rangers in agencies like the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions with laboratory diagnostics at centres including the CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness and university research groups such as the Australian Centre for Wildlife Health at the University of Sydney. Research collaborations address issues raised by chytridiomycosis affecting amphibians, avian chlamydiosis, and emerging zoonoses investigated with partners like the George Institute for Global Health and the Australian National University Medical School. Data outputs feed risk assessments used by intergovernmental forums such as the National Standing Committee on Agriculture and Resource Management and inform conservation actions by the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia and the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
The organisation maintains formal partnerships with government agencies including the Australian Defence Force for logistics support in major incidents, international bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) on zoonotic risk frameworks, and academic consortia comprising the University of Adelaide, Griffith University and the James Cook University. Collaborative networks extend to veterinary pathology services like the Australian Veterinary Association pathology group, zoos including the Australia Zoo, marine research bodies such as the CSIRO Marine National Facility and non-governmental organisations including the BirdLife Australia and Friends of the Earth (Australia). It participates in regional initiatives alongside the Pacific Islands Forum and links to global surveillance platforms like those maintained by the OIE.
Notable initiatives include the establishment of national reporting systems that improved detection of mass-mortality events, coordinated responses to avian influenza detections with departments such as the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia), and contributions to amphibian disease mitigation strategies supported by the Australian Research Council. Case studies involve coordinated responses with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries during wildlife disease outbreaks, and collaborative research informing threatened species recovery plans used by agencies like the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and NGOs such as the Nature Conservancy Australia. The organisation’s work has influenced policy discussions at intergovernmental meetings including the Council of Australian Governments and has enhanced capacity across veterinary pathology networks and conservation institutions nationally.
Category:Organisations based in Canberra Category:Conservation in Australia