Wildlife health in the spotlight on World Wildlife Day

Australia is celebrating World Wildlife Day on March 3 by highlighting a climate change impact guidance tool for wildlife, being developed through the One Health Surveillance Initiative, to assist decision makers in anticipating the role climate change may play in the health and disease in wildlife species.

The World Wildlife Day 2024 theme Connecting People and Planet, celebrates healthy ecosystems and rich biodiversity through showcasing how vital they are for the survival and connection of humans, animals, and plants.

Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Beth Cookson, said a healthy environment is the foundation for the health of all living things.

“Wildlife health is important and adopting a true ‘One Health’ approach recognises the link between human, animal, and environmental health, which is essential to preventing future pandemics,” said Dr Cookson.

As part of the One Health Surveillance Initiative supported by the department, Wildlife Health Australia (WHA) is running a One Health Investigation Fund, to boost support for collaborative field, laboratory, and epidemiological investigations into health issues involving wildlife in Australia.

The tool guides the user through the exposure pathways for climate-associated disease in wildlife, promoting a comprehensive evaluation of climate change impacts, thereby improving Australia’s early warning capabilities.

“The climate change impact guidance tool aids decision-makers in understanding the complexities of the threat of climate change to wildlife and their environments,” said Dr Cookson.

“Currently being finalised by WHA, the climate change impact guidance tool will be made available to veterinarians, biologists, public health scientists, ecologists and professionals exploring the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and wildlife.”

More information about the impacts of climate change on Australian wildlife can be found in this WHA Fact Sheet: https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/ResourceCentre/FactSheets/General/Impacts_of_climate_change_on_Australian_wildlife.pdf.

In 2018, an IPBES 2020 Workshop Report on Biodiversity and Pandemics estimated there are approximately 1.7 million undiscovered viruses in animal hosts. Many exist in wildlife and feral species and are evolving, posing a growing level of risk which this One Health approach seeks to address.

More information can be found here: Official website of UN World Wildlife Day.

Fast facts

• March 3 is the United Nations World Wildlife Day, which celebrates and raises awareness of the world’s animals and plants.
• This date was chosen as it is the birthday of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) signed in 1973.
• Wildlife Health Australia (WHA) is the independent coordinating body for wildlife health in Australia and leads national action to respond to emerging health issues affecting Australia’s wildlife.